Soba and Soy

A simple lunch you can try.

Have you ever tried cold Soba?

These buckwheat noodles from Japan are a personal favorite at our house and I think of them as a great way to get carbs for extra energy during the afternoon.

After you reading this article you will:

have a greater appreciation of Buckwheat and Soy Sauce,

Understand a little about Asian culture and cuisine,

Learn how to prepare Buckwheat Soba noodles so they don't stick together,

Learn my tasty recipe for Soba dipping sauce.

Part 1: An Introduction to Buckwheat and Soy Sauce:

Buckwheat is another name for the Fagopyrum esculentum plant and in spite of its name is not related to wheat or any other cereal crop.

It has been cultivated in the Middle and Far East for thousands of years and although it is not known for sure where it originated it is likely that wild Buckwheat likely first grew in present day Yunnan and perhaps neighboring Tibet.

Early evidence of cultivated Buckwheat in Japan date back to 4000 BC and the oldest cultivation of the plant in China known so far is from roughly 2500 BC.

Today Buckwheat grows all over the world with China and Russia being the largest producers of the plant.

Soy Sauce, known in Chinese as Jiang You first appeared around 200 BC during the Han Dynasty.

Soy Sauce is derived from Soy Beans and is made through a process of fermentation.

It came to Japan in the seventh century AD and is called Shouyu there.

Soy Sauce came to Europe in the form of Shouyu from the Dutch East India Company in 1647.

Part 2:  Buckwheat, Health Perspectives:

Buckwheat is a wonderful carbohydrate addition to your diet as it is not only delicious but also quite healthy.

One of the most attractive things about Buckwheat is that it contains no gluten and is thus approved for Candida diet.

The fact that Buckwheat is low sugar and low carb also makes it an attractive substitute for White Rice, Wheat and other grains which may negatively influence blood sugar levels.

Buckwheat is also full of Quercetin, a Polyphenol that behaves as an antioxidant and fights inflammation.

While this is also true of wheat and grains, Buckwheat's low gluten and carb profile may make it more attractive to people trying to regulate their weight, blood sugar, or dealing with inflammation issues.

In fact, Chinese Medicine has known about Buckwheat for hundreds of years and considers it a good way to encourage digestion as a result of its fiber breaking down stagnant foods in the stomach and intestines.

Chinese Medicine holds that Buckwheat is a slightly cooling plant that works on the Stomach and Intestine.

It is believed to increase strength, boost mood, and assist in digestion and urinary health.

Part 3:  Soy Sauce!

Chinese people love Soy Sauce and use it every day, but one thing I've noticed after moving to Canada is that many people in this country do not use it properly.

Before you get upset let me tell you what I mean...

In Chinese home cooking we are very sparing with Soy Sauce and typically only use one or two cap fulls in any meal.

When I saw my husband use it he would just liberally dash it on our food making it totally salty.

The reason this is something to take note of is that Soy Sauce is very salty and we must be careful not to use too much or it will negatively effect cardiac and maybe even renal health.

In old times in China many people believed Soy Sauce could be used to clean parasites from meat and vegetables, but Chinese Medicine doctors of those eras still believed it was important to treat it with care and not eat too much.

Part 4: How to Prepare Soba:

Soba is a wonderful Japanese Noodle which has been eaten for several hundred years.

Soba has a close relationship to Japanese Medicine since it is rich in Thiamine and can be used to prevent Beriberi disease.

Soba can be made both cold and as a soup, but today I will tell you how to make it cold.

Making Soba is a very easy, bring a pot of water to a boil and place your desired serving of noddles inside.

Many Soba companies tie off individual servings of noodles with silk bands so you can separate out servings for as many people as you wish to feed.

If not, I usually find that a serving of noodles about the width of my index and middle fingers is enough for me, but everyone is different so please follow your own innate wisdom.

Soba doesn't take very long to boil and you should cover the pot but take the cover off to stir it at least once during the process.

If your water was boiling when the noodles went in it will usually only take three to five minutes to prepare, making it much faster than other types of noodles made of wheat.

Now for the important part:

While stirring the noodles you will notice they become softer and when they bend around your fork and are the consistency you like you can take one out to sample it, but make sure not to burn your mouth.

If you think the noodles are ready, pour out the water or pour the noodles into a strainer and then immediately put them back in the pot and pour cold water over them until they are covered.

From here you should stir the noodles around a little more and make sure they all separate.

If you don't follow this step your noodles will stick together and will be much less enjoyable to eat.

Now you can pour off the water and prepare the Soba on a vessel such as plate, or if you want to be very traditional you can use a wooden box with bamboo serving pad (I'm not Japanese, so I just use the same plates I eat other food from).

Now you are halfway, but there is one more step, you must have a dipping sauce...

Part 5: My Easy and Wonderful Dipping Sauce!

Soy Sauce by itself is nice, but you can do better so why not try out my very easy to make and tasty Soba dipping sauce.

First, you should purchase a high quality Organic Soy Sauce with reduced sodium.

These can be found in many places, but ideally if you have a Chinese, Japanese or Korean store in your town you can try your luck there.

In Toronto we are very lucky because there is a Japanese shopping mall called J-Town on Steeles avenue where we buy high quality organic Soy Sauce, but if all else fails you can always check on Amazon or similar websites.

Another thing to look for is aged Soy Sauce which has a better taste and lower sodium.

The fermentation process of aged Soy Sauce promotes better digestion.

Now on to the recipe:

Here is what you'll need:

Organic Fermented Soy Sauce,

Organic Fermented Chinese Vinegar,

Sliced Purple Onion,

Sliced Red Radish,

Cilantro (or Basil),

Cold Water,

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or Avocado Oil).

All of these ingredients can be adjusted to suit your tastes, but it is better not to use too much Soy Sauce or Vinegar until you are used to cooking with them.

In a bowl:

- Around one or two tablespoons is enough of each.

- Next add water, typically up to half a cup is enough for two people to enjoy.

- Then add your Olive Oil, roughly one teaspoon should be sufficient.

-At this point you can taste the sauce to see if you like it and feel free to add more of any of the ingredients as you prefer.

- Now finely mince two radishes and half of a purple onion sliced very finely and add them to the sauce.

-Finally wash and add a few leaves of cilantro or chopped basil to finish.

This sauce isn't very scientific, but it does taste great and the good news is that once you have the hang of it you can easily change it to suit your preferences.

Part Six: Time to Eat!

Before you eat you have to cool down your Soba.

This is best done at room temperature and I usually leave it to cool while I make my sauce, although it may take a little longer.

Once the Soba is room temperature and the sauce is ready you can serve them.

Pick up the Soba with either a fork or chopsticks and dip it in the sauce.

I think you'll see that the light tasting Soy and Chinese Vinegar is complimented by the oil, Radish, Onion, and Cilantro.

This is a tasty, easy to make meal that takes less than 20 minutes from kitchen to table.

It is also a healthy way to get carbs, improve your digestion, and keep you and your family entertained.

Make sure you follow my page and come back every Wednesday for new articles about food,

well-being, and recipes.

Soon I'll also begin to discuss the theory of Chinese Medicine Dietary Science, so stay tuned for that!