Noodles and Rice

Soba Finesse

by Tom on November 11th, 2007

I love soba.  By itself cold, hot in soup or pretty much any way else you can imagine.  One thing that I don’t like is soggy soba.  It can quickly turn from firm bitey noodles into buckwheat mush on your plate if you let it. 

The solution is to serve it up (if it is to be dry) on a soba plate with a mat.  A soba plate is a simple device designed to let the noodles stay on top and any extra liquid drain away.  This is usually achieved by a bamboo mat in the bottom of the plate sort of like a sushi rolling mat.  In a pinch you can use a flat plate with a sushi mat sitting on top.  It will work OK, but it won’t look as cool as my new wooden soba plates.  Plastic, lacquer look plates are more practical, but I still think these are the height of cool for eating soba.  Now I have to get myself one of the massive lacquered bowls to make my own noodles in.

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POSTED IN: Cooking Equipment and Tools, Japanese, Noodles : Asian