What Is Soba?
Soba noodles are native Japanese noodles made of buckwheat flour. They are roughly as thick as spaghetti, and they are prepared in a variety of hot and cold dishes. The most basic soba dish is “zaru soba”, in which boiled, cold soba noodles are served with a dipping sauce. Like pasta, soba noodles are available in dried form in supermarkets, but they taste best if freshly made by hand from flour and water. Source
What is buckwheat?
Buckwheat, which is commonly found in raw food diet recipes, has a slightly deceptive name that can easily cause confusion. Buckwheat is not wheat, nor is it related to wheat. It is not a grain nor a cereal and is gluten-free. So where does it come from? Buckwheat is derived from the seeds of a flowering plant. Source
Did you know?
Buckwheat is considered as one of the world’s healthiest food. While many people think that buckwheat is a cereal grain, it is actually a fruit seed making it a suitable substitute for grains for people who are sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain protein glutens.
If you are allergic or your body is intolerant to wheat like mine is (get tested at LifeScience for food allergies and food intolerance, read my blog about it here.), buckwheat noodles are for you. Although, some contain wheat flour so be sure to check the package before buying.
I love soba or buckwheat noodles for its nutty taste and firm texture. I like making soup with it or cooking it pancit canton style! You can also serve soba hot or cold. Here’s one of my family’s favorite buckwheat noodles recipes:
Stir Fry Teriyaki Soba
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serving: Good for 3-4 people
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chia seeds (optional)
chili oil (optional)
nori/seaweeds as garnish
Note: No need for extra seasoning like salt and pepper as the teriyaki sauce is enough to flavor this dish.
Whatever greens you have in your fridge. For this recipe, I used string beans, snow peas, carrots and ginger
Dried or fresh buckwheat or soba noodles. I used one whole pack of dried buckwheat noodles for this recipe. You can buy them in Japanese and Korean convenience stores and groceries.
1/4 to 1/2 cup Kikkonam Teriyaki Marinade in Honey & Soy (depends on your taste and how much sauce you want for the noodles). For this particular recipe, I highly recommend this particular brand of sauce as it has the perfect marriage of sweet and salty. Other teriyaki sauce are more salty and ginger-y flavored. This is available in major groceries.
1 tbsp. sesame seeds and 1 tbsp. sesame oil
Easy peasy:
Step 1: Heat up the pan and add the olive oil and sliced ginger. Cook till crispy then set aside.
Step 2: Add all the vegetable and stir fry for 1-2 minutes only.
Step 3: Add 1/4-1/2 cup of teriyaki sauce (depends on your taste) to the veggies. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until the mix has caramelized.
Step 4: Turn off the heat. Add the sesame seeds, chia seeds and crispy ginger. Stir.
Step 5: In a separate pot, boil water and cook dried or fresh buckwheat noodles according to the directions in the package.
Tip: Cook the noodles less than 1 minute from the recommended cooking time. The noodle will cook even more when you add it to the steamy vegetables.
Step 6: Drain the noodles. Add the noodles to the mix.
Step 7: Add the sesame oil and chili oil (optional)
Top it with nori and serve with a smile!
This Stir Fry Teriyaki Soba is super easy to cook and a delish dish that kids and adults can enjoy! I also pack this for Aryanna’s lunch box and the noodles hold up well.
Health benefits of buckwheat:
• Decreases cholesterol
• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces fat accumulation
• Promotes healthy bowel movements
• Fits a well-balanced and low-calorie diet
Shoppingero/shoppingera, ubusan na ng soba!
Comments 2
YUMMY! GOTTA TRY THIS RECIPE ASAP!
I’ll try this. It’s simple and it looks yummy aside from being “healthy-licious”. Thanks for sharing this recipe.