It is a custom for Japanese to have Soba Noodle Soup on the last day of the year, as the noodles are long and they symbolise ‘longevity’. I have kept this tradition with my family in Australia, however it is sometimes difficult to enjoy hot noodle soup because the weather here can be extremely hot. This year, as we had rather cool weather after a heatwave, I cooked this hot Soba Noodles Soup.


Makes

4 Servings

Ingredients

4 cups Dashi Stock *OR Water 4 cups & 2 teaspoons Dashi Powder
2 tablespoons Sake (Rice Wine)
1 teaspoon Salt
2 to 3 tablespoons Soy Sauce *OR as required
2 tablespoons Mirin
4 servings Soba Noodles
1 to 2 Bok Choy *OR other green vegetables
1 Spring Onion *finely chopped
Shichimi (Japanese Chilli Spice Mix)

Topping
300g Chicken Thigh Fillets
1 pinch Salt
300g Asian Mushrooms *e.g. Shimeji, Shiitake, Oyster Mushrooms, etc.
1/2 tablespoon Oil
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 tablespoon Mirin
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Method
  1. To make soup, place Dashi Stock, Sake (Rice Wine), Salt, Soy Sauce, Mirin into a saucepan and bring to the boil, and simmer for a few minutes.
  2. Cut Chicken fillets into bite-size pieces and season with 1 pinch of Salt. Cut or tear Mushrooms into the size that is easy to eat. Wash Bok Choy and cut large leaves in half.
  3. Heat Oil in a frying pan, cook Chicken and Mushrooms. When Chicken is cooked, add Sugar, Mirin and Soy Sauce, and cook until sauce is almost gone.
  4. Cook Soba Noodles in the plenty of boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, then add Bok Choy and cook them together until Soba Noodles are cooked. Drain well. *Note: You may wish to cook them separately.
  5. Place cooked and drained hot Soba Noodles in serving bowls, place Bok Choy, Chicken and Mushrooms on top, add some finely chopped Spring Onion, then pour hot soup. Sprinkle with some Shichimi (Japanese Chilli Spice Mix) and enjoy.