Soba stir-fried noodles are a very popular dish in Japan with a delicious flavor from the chewy and soft noodles combined with a rich sauce. You can also make this stir-fried dish at home with a simple recipe shared by TasteVN. Get cooking now!
1. Soba noodles stir-fried with pork
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Soba noodles stir-fried with pork For 4 people
Soba noodles 1 package Pork belly 350 gr Cabbage 4 leaves Fresh shiitake mushrooms 3 pieces Onion 1/2 bulb Green onions 2 stalks Carrot 1 piece Toppings a little (dried seaweed/pickled ginger) Worcestershire sauce 4 tablespoons Ketchup 4 teaspoons Oyster sauce 4 teaspoons Soy sauce 2 teaspoons Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Common spices a little (Sugar/Pepper/Salt)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh pork belly
- Should choose meat with a thick outer skin, a layer of fat thick from 1.5cm – 2cm, and the lean meat tightly attached to the fatty part.
- Pay attention to the color of the pork; good pork belly has a dry outer skin, with a bright red or pink color.
- Fresh pork belly will have maximum elasticity; when you press your hand into the meat, it will dent and quickly return to its original state.
- Do not buy meat that has darkened colors, is slimy, or has an unpleasant odor.
How to choose fresh shiitake mushrooms
- Choose mushrooms that are of moderate size, with intact stems, not broken or scratched.
- Fresh mushrooms will have a beautiful brown-yellow color, with a round cap and a characteristic smell.
- Do not buy mushrooms that are bruised, wilted, or show signs of mold.
See details: How to choose fresh shiitake mushrooms
Note: You can find Worcestershire sauce at supermarkets selling imported goods or on e-commerce sites. If you have time, you can also make it at home using the recipe below.
See details: Simple and easy Worcestershire sauce recipe
How to prepare Stir-fried Soba Noodles with Pork
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Prepare the vegetables
Peel the onion, then cut it into thin strips. Peel the carrot and then julienne it.
Wash the shiitake mushrooms and cut them into small pieces. Cut the green onion into pieces about 1.5 finger lengths.
Remove the white stem of the cabbage leaves, then cut the leaves into small pieces and wash them thoroughly, then drain.
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Prepare the pork
When buying pork belly, to eliminate the odor, rub the piece of meat with some salt and then wash it thoroughly with water and let it drain.
Then, cut the meat into thin slices about 1/2 finger length and then cut into small bite-sized pieces.
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Prepare the sauce and blanch the noodles
Put 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 4 teaspoons of oyster sauce, 4 teaspoons of ketchup, and 4 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce into a bowl. Use a spoon to stir well until the mixture is combined.
Place the noodles in a colander or sieve, then pour boiling water over the noodles. Continue to rinse with cold water and gently separate the noodle strands with your hands.
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Stir-fry the filling
Heat a pan on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add the prepared pork belly and stir-fry until nearly cooked, then add the onion and continue to stir-fry.
When the onion is about to be cooked, add the carrot, cabbage, green onions, and shiitake mushrooms, then stir evenly over medium heat.
When the vegetable mixture is nearly cooked, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of pepper over the top, stir again well.
Add the noodles and stir well with the vegetables, then pour the sauce in and stir well to absorb the seasoning, and it’s done.
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Final Product
Stir-fried soba noodles with pork are fragrant, the noodles are chewy and soft, served with fatty pork, crunchy and sweet vegetables blended with rich sauce, making it irresistible. Try cooking this delicious dish!
2. Stir-Fried Soba Noodles with Tofu
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
45 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Stir-Fried Soba Noodles with Tofu Serves 2 people
Soba noodles 1 pack Tofu 2 pieces Mushrooms 100 gr (can be substituted with other types of mushrooms) Napa cabbage 3 leaves Bean sprouts 50 gr Carrot 1 piece Garlic 1 bulb Green onion 1 stalk Soy sauce 2 tablespoons Rice vinegar 1 tablespoon Sesame oil 1 teaspoon Ketchup 2 tablespoons White sesame seeds 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Salt/Pepper 1 teaspoon
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose good tofu, without gypsum
- Color: Good tofu will always have an off-white color. In contrast, tofu with gypsum tends to be yellower; the yellower it is, the more gypsum it contains. Therefore, you should avoid buying tofu pieces that are yellow or have a yellowish tint.
- Touch: If the tofu feels soft to the touch and light in your hand, it’s advisable to buy it. Heavier pieces that feel firm, slightly hard, and square should be avoided as these are often mixed with gypsum.
- Smell: Pure tofu will have a pleasant aroma, while tofu with gypsum will smell like lime or have no smell at all.
- Taste: Good tofu will have the characteristic fatty taste of soybeans, while tofu containing a lot of gypsum will taste astringent.
How to choose good mushroom
- Choose mushrooms with short stems, round and even caps.
- Select mushrooms of a suitable size, avoiding those that are too large or too small.
- Avoid mushrooms that have a foul smell or any strange odor.
- Additionally, it’s best to buy mushrooms from reputable food stores or large supermarkets to ensure they are fresh, harvested within 24 hours for better nutritional value.
Tools needed
How to prepare Stir-fried Soba Noodles with Tofu
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Prepare vegetables
Peel the garlic and then mince it. Wash the carrots and cut them into thin strips.
Cut the green onions into 2 parts: 1 part for the leaves, 1 part for the bulbs, then chop them. Wash the napa cabbage and cut it into pieces.
Trim the dirty part from the enoki mushrooms, place them in a bowl of water and gently swirl, lightly rubbing the caps, then drain and cut them in half.
Wash the bean sprouts and then drain them.
Note: Enoki mushrooms do not need to be washed thoroughly with water as it will lose their sweetness, crunchiness, and aroma.
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Blanch the noodles and prepare the sauce
Boil a pot of water, then add the noodles and cook for 4 minutes. Next, drain the noodles in a colander.
In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons of ketchup, then stir well.
Note: Remember to reserve some of the noodle blanching water for stir-frying the noodles!
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Grilling Tofu
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.
First, cut the tofu into slices about 1/2 of a small finger thick. Then, cut the tofu into small rectangular pieces.
Place the tofu on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper on top. Next, grill the tofu for 25 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius.
Tip: For convenience, you can also fry the tofu until golden and crispy.
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Stir-fried vegetables
First, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan and sauté the chopped green onion and garlic until fragrant. Then, add the cabbage and stir-fry for about 2 – 3 minutes.
After 3 minutes, add the oyster mushrooms, carrots, and tofu, then stir well.
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Completion
When the vegetables are nearly cooked, add the soba noodles, the prepared sauce, 3 tablespoons of noodle cooking water, and the bean sprouts, and stir the mixture again for about 2 – 3 minutes for the sauce to absorb into the noodles.
Finally, plate the noodles, sprinkle with the green onions and white sesame seeds, and it’s done.
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Final Product
Stir-fried soba noodles with tofu have an eye-catching appearance with chewy, soft noodles, soaked in a sweet and sour sauce interspersed with delicious vegetables and light tofu, extremely appetizing.
Try going to the kitchen and showcase your cooking skills!
How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Carrots
- Choose carrots that are bright in color, dark orange, have smooth skin, green leaves, and are not bruised.
- Additionally, select those that are still firm and of medium size.
- Avoid choosing those that have wilted leaves, cracks on the skin, or spots, and those with green ends.
Where to buy soba noodles?
Soba noodles come in 2 types: frozen fresh soba noodles or dry soba noodles. You can find the type of soba noodles you prefer at supermarkets that sell imported goods or through e-commerce websites.
With the recipe for 2 stir-fried soba noodle dishes from Japan just shared, TasteVN hopes you can successfully prepare them for your family to enjoy!
*Source of the recipe and images from the YouTube channel Just One Cookbook and Yeung Man Cooking.
