What is soba?
Q: What is soba?
A: Soba is a type of thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour.
Q: How is soba served?
A: Soba can be served either chilled with a dipping sauce or in hot broth as a noodle soup.
Q: How much buckwheat must soba contain to be called soba?
A: According to Japan Agricultural Standards regulations, the noodles must contain at least 30% buckwheat in order to be called soba. However, noodles with a high buckwheat content are seen as more desirable.
Q: How is the dough for soba made?
A: The dough for soba is made by mixing together buckwheat flour and binder, then spreading it out flat before slicing off strands of noodles with a special knife.
Q: When was the tradition of eating soba in Tokyo established?
A: The tradition of eating soba in Tokyo originated during the Edo period when people were more susceptible to beriberi due to their high consumption of white rice which is low in thiamine. They are thought to have made up for this by regularly eating thiamine-rich soba.
Q: Where can one find establishments that serve both udon and soba?
A: Establishments that serve both udon and soba are usually cheaper and more casual places where locals would drop by casually.
Q: Is there an easy way to make home-prepared soba?
A: Markets sell dried noodles and men-tsuyu, or instant noodle broth, which makes home preparation easy.
