Soba (Buckwheat) Noodle Soup

Hello :) For lunch today, I decided to experiment with Soba noodles in an Asian noodle soup I make occasionally. Soba noodles are a traditional Japanese noodle variety made from Buckwheat flour, so I was curious to try them after using Buckwheat flour to make pancakes recently .

I love making noodle soups. My dad regularly shops at Asian Grocery stores stocking up on noodles, bean curd, dried mushrooms, Chinese vegetables and seaweed so I usually just add ingredients we already have as well as other sauces and spices.

I find the ritual so fulfilling, it's almost like creating a potion. Soaking the dried mushrooms and fungus, watching as they magically expand, creating a broth, filling the pot with noodles, bean curd and vegetables, and topping with fresh herbs, sprouts and sliced ginger. The ingredients immerse together to create a perfect balance of light and delicate flavours. It's an incredibly healthy and nourishing dish, making it perfect especially for those who are sick or feeling 'under the weather'.

Preparing some of the ingredients. Dried mushrooms/fungus/seaweed, fresh ginger, buckwheat noodles (these came in a pack of 6 servings) and bean curd knots.

My mother actually received a box of dried fungus/mushrooms as a Christmas gift. I remember when I went to China last year  there were so many fungus and mushrooms dishes I tried. They looked unusual and exotic but tasted amazing stir-fried/braised with light sauces.

My soup. The buckwheat noodles were really nice!

Ingredients I used: spring onions, bok choy, dried fungus/mushrooms, seaweed strips, buckwheat noodles, tofu puffs, bean curd knots, fresh ginger, parsley, red miso paste, soy sauce and sesame oil.

Other ingredient ideas: udon/ramen/spinach/fresh rice noodles (or other varieties), bean sprouts, garlic, finely sliced carrots, broccoli, coriander, silken tofu, enoki mushrooms and vegetable stock.

What do you think?

Hannah x

P.S. Hello A! Hope you're having fun ;)