Easy Homemade Okinawa Soba

Name: Easy Homemade Okinawa Soba
Yield: Serves 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups bread flour (about 300 grams); 1 large egg; 1/2 cup water (about 120 ml); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda; as needed Potato starch (for rolling out the noodles),; 1 teaspoon vegetable oil per serving (for finished noodles); 2 1/2 cups water (about 600 ml); 1 handful bonito flakes; 1 teaspoon instant dashi granules; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 3 1/2 oz pork belly (about 100 grams); 1 teaspoon sake; 2 teaspoons each soy sauce and sugar; 1 little ginger paste; 1 little green onion; 1 little pickled red ginger (beni shoga)

めどりんこ @cook_40181879

This is an authentic Okinawa soba you can make from scratch at home, including the noodles, using ingredients you probably already have.
Recipe background:
Since Okinawa soba noodles aren't sold in supermarkets on the mainland, I decided to make them myself! I used to make the soba broth at home from time to time. This dish brings back memories of my hometown.

めどりんこ @cook_40181879

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Ingredients

Serves 4 servings

Noodles (serves 4)
2 1/2 cupsbread flour (about 300 grams)
1large egg
1/2 cupwater (about 120 ml)
1 teaspoonsalt
1 1/2 teaspoonsbaking soda
as neededPotato starch (for rolling out the noodles),
1 teaspoonvegetable oil per serving (for finished noodles)
Broth for soba (serves 2)
2 1/2 cupswater (about 600 ml)
1 handfulbonito flakes
1 teaspooninstant dashi granules
1 teaspoonsalt
1 tablespoonsoy sauce
Meat topping for soba (serves 2)
3 1/2 ozpork belly (about 100 grams)
1 teaspoonsake
2 teaspoonseach soy sauce and sugar
1little ginger paste
Optional toppings
1little green onion
1little pickled red ginger (beni shoga)

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Steps

1

Start by making the noodles! Mix together the egg, water, salt, and baking soda.
2

Put the bread flour in a bowl. Add the egg mixture in 2–3 batches, mixing each time.
3

Knead the dough until it’s as soft as your earlobe and the surface is smooth. The more you knead, the better!
4

Place the dough in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30–45 minutes.
5

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (one serving each). It’s easier to roll and cut the noodles one serving at a time.
6

Dust with potato starch and roll each piece out to about 1/16–1/8 inch thick (2–3 mm). Use plenty of potato starch to prevent sticking.
7

Cut into strips about 1/8–1/5 inch wide (3–5 mm).
8

Loosen the cut noodles. Gently squeeze them together to give them the classic Okinawa soba shape. If you’re not cooking them right away, put them in a plastic bag to prevent drying out.
9

Bring 2 liters (about 8 1/2 cups) of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 1–2 minutes, gently separating them with chopsticks.
10

Drain the noodles, toss with vegetable oil, and quickly cool them with a fan or by waving them in the air. The noodles are done!
11

To make the broth, put all the broth ingredients in a pot. Use about a handful of bonito flakes (I like to crush them up).
12

Bring to a boil, and the broth is ready.
13

For the meat topping, cut the pork belly into bite-sized pieces. Put all the meat ingredients in a frying pan and cook until done.
14

Top the soba with green onion and pickled red ginger if you like, and enjoy!
15

Before adding the broth, briefly dip the noodles in hot water to warm them up.