What makes good soba?

A few, all-important ingredients Soba noodles only require two essential ingredients – buckwheat flour and water – so it is crucial that these elements are of the highest quality. Some recipes, including Honke Owariya's, also call for a small amount of wheat flour to improve texture.

Are soba noodles healthy?

Soba noodles are good for your health because they are gluten-free, high in flavonoids, and help balance your blood sugar . Soba noodles are a Japanese alternative to regular pasta. They're mostly made with buckwheat flour, which is both gluten-free and full of healthy proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

Do soba noodles taste good?

Soba noodles have a nutty flavor and earthy taste which makes them an awesome addition to salads. Cold soba is delicious. They can also be tasty hot and are great in soups and when whipped up in a wok with everything from wilted bok choi to a fresh fried egg.

What the heck is soba?

Soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat . It refers to thin noodles made from buckwheat flour, or combined with wheat flours (Nagano soba). Soba differs from udon which are thick wheat noodles. Soba noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in a hot broth as a noodle soup.

Is soba healthier than ramen?

Soba noodles are not only tastier and more versatile, but they're healthier . Once you know more about the nutrition of soba noodles, you'll want to kick that hard ramen brick and its high-sodium, monosodium glutamate-laden packet to the curb.

Do you eat soba noodles hot or cold?

The fact that soba noodles can be served either hot or cold and in a myriad of different ways adds to its mass appeal. Soba noodles are a favorite of both locals and travelers to Japan due to their versatility.

Do soba noodles need to be boiled?

Unlike pasta, there's no need for salt. Add the soba to the boiling pot in a circular motion, separating the noodles from each other. Cook the noodles for 4-5 minutes or according to the package instructions (each brand is slightly different). Stir the noodles occasionally to prevent sticking and cook until tender.

Can you just soak soba noodles?

Place soba noodle in a shallow container and add enough water (not listed in ingredients) to just cover the noodles for 15 minutes . While the noodle is being soaked in water, start to boil 12 cups of water in a large pot over high heat.

How to cook soba cup noodles?

Preparation and Usage Remove the cap, lid and sachet. Fill cup with boiling water until the inner line. Close cap and let stand for 3 minutes. Carefully, drain the water through the openings on the cap. Attention: Please also note the drawing on the aluminum lid. Add the content of sachet and stir well. Ready!

Hoisin Caramelized Salmon and Sesame Soba Noodle Bowls. (2024)

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I am going through a little phase right now.

Basically all I want to make is bowl food.

You know what bowl food is right?

Noodle bowls, rice bowls, burrito bowls, soup bowls.

I am a little bowl obsessed, but geez, bowl foods are fabulous. Ah huh, fabulous.

Also, how do you guys feels about soba noodles?

This was my first soba noodle experience and to be honest, I am not sure how I feel about them. I mean, the noodles with the dressing, the salmon and roasted veggies were so good, but I had a hard time with the color.

Look at them.

They are not that golden white color I am used too. No, they are more like a mix between brown, black and gray. And I was a little freaked. So freaked that I totally thought I bought the wrong kind of soba noodle so I ran to the store to buy another. Well that was obviously a huge waste of time. All soba noodles are buckwheat (I do believe some come half buckwheat half flour and next time I will try to find those) and they are all generally the same color no matter what brand you buy.

So I just said to myself either get over the color or reach for my standard angel hair pasta that I use ALL. THE. TIME.

Going against basically everything in my body and brain, I actually went for something different for once. I stuck with the buckwheat. My mom is going to be so proud. Although she really, really loves angel hair, so this might be the one time where she wished I would have gone with the usual.

Oh well, oh well. The buckwheat was actually really awesome. Totally different, but still awesome.

I can’t say that normal noodles would not be delicious with this because they would, and if the soba noodles are not your thing or you cannot find them just use some angel hair or spaghetti, but I like them with these flavors. Plus, they are loaded with fiber, which is really good for us.

Which is just awesome.

The one thing I have to mention about the noodle is just be sure to not over cook them. I am pretty sure that I let mine go a minute too long and they were a little bit mushy, so just pay attention them.

Apparently, I am easily distracted. Err, that has been apparent for a while and if you were around me for like five minutes you would know that.

These bowls come together super quick and are the perfect healthy weeknight meal.

Although, I feel that I should mention, I also had to make steak to go a long with these bowls. No one but my dad and I will even come close to fish in my family. Wait, that is not true my brother Brendan loves fish, but he left a few days with his kitten, Pandagucci.

Have I told you guys about Pandagucci?

Let me just give you a little info. Pandagucci is maybe the world’s cutest little kitten out there. See, Brendan is a weird one. In the snowboarding world he is known as the “Nicest Bad Guy You Will Ever Meet”. He looks a little tough around the edges, but he is a total softy and truly the nicest guy you will ever meet. This was especially proven over Christmas when he just showed up with his new kitten in tow. He took really good care of him too and of course, the cute little kitten was extremely popular. So much so that grown adults were fighting a five-year old to hold him. Pretty funny sight! Originally the cat’s name was Todd, but the family decided that Todd was just not a good name for the kitten. Somehow everyone decided on Pandagucci. No idea how, but it works, and that would be the story of Panagucchi.

Seriously, check out how cute he is. I miss him.

Anyway, my point was supposed to be (see – easily distracted) that if you are not a salmon eater you can make this meal with steak too, but the hoisin caramelized salmon is better.

So do the salmon.

Ingredients

Salmon

▢ 1 pound skin on salmon cut into four filets (preferably wild caught)
▢ freshly ground black pepper
▢ 4-6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil

Noodles + Veg

▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▢ 1 bunch broccoli chopped into small florets
▢ 8-16 brussels sprouts halved if big
▢ 1 clove garlic minced or grated
▢ A pinch of salt and pepper
▢ 6 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
▢ 1/4 cup tahini
▢ 2 tablespoons honey
▢ 1 lime zest grated and juiced
▢ 2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
▢ 6 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
▢ 2 tablespoons hoisin
▢ 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
▢ 1 ounce package soba noodles 12, or swap with angel hair or spaghetti
▢ 4 green onions sliced
▢ 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
▢ 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Add the broccoli and brussels sprouts to a baking sheet. Toss the broccoli and brussels with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the grated or minced garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss the mixture well to make sure the veggies are completely coated. Roast for 15 minutes and then give them a good toss and roast another 10 minutes or until the veggies are soft and crisp. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
Meanwhile combine the sesame oil, tahini, honey, lime zest and lime juice, ginger, soy sauce, crushed red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Now grab the salmon and sprinkle it with a good dose of black pepper. Rub each filet with a tablespoon of just plain hoisin sauce. Add more if the hoisin is not fully coating the salmon.
Preheat the broiler to 450 degrees.
Heat a little a drizzle of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat (do not go above medium heat). When the oil is hot, add the salmon, skin side down in the pan, and cook for about 3-5 minutes, cook 3 minutes if you like your salmon a little underdone.
Carefully flip each salmon filet and cook for another 2-3 minutes. If the filets are thick (mine were not) flip to the side and cook each of the sides for another 2 minutes and then carefully flip the salmon so the skin is facing down (meaning the skin should be touching the bottom of the pan).
If some of the hoisin mixture has fallen off the salmon rub a little more on the fillets and then sprinkle the top of each salmon filet with a sprinkle of sugar. Transfer the pan from the stovetop into the oven. Let the salmon broil for 5 minutes (10 if you like your salmon a little more done or if you have thick filets), checking often to make sure it’s not burning. Just do not overcook the salmon, if anything undercooking is always better. Remove the salmon from the oven and loosely cover with foil.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the soba noodles according to package directions, but be careful not to overcook. They cook in less than 3 minutes, so do not forget about them! Drain the noodles.
Toss the warm noodles with half the dressing, roasted veggies, green onions and half of the cilantro. Toss well and add more dressing if desired. I used about 3/4 of the dressing. Divide the noodles among four bowls. Gently peel the skin away from the salmon (it should come right off) and chop into chunks. Top each bowl with chunks of salmon. Garnish with fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Notes

*The cooking method for the salmon was adapted form [Pinch Of Yum. | http://pinchofyum.com/caramelized-salmon]

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And now, I believe it is noodle time. Yes!