Our Family’s Special Okinawa Soba

Name: Our Family’s Special Okinawa Soba
Yield: Serves 4–5 servings
Ingredients: 14 –18 oz pork spare ribs (400–500 g); 1 tablespoon (about 0.35 oz/10 g) sliced ginger; 5 cups water (about 1.2 L, including extra water added during cooking); 0.7 oz dried bonito flakes (about 20 g); 4 1/4 cups water (1 L); 2 –2 1/2 teaspoons salt (start with 2, about 10–15 g); 2 1/2 teaspoons Hondashi granules (about 0.25 oz/7 g); 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce; 5 servings Okinawa soba noodles; 3 –4 eggs (adjust based on size); 3.5 oz or more kamaboko (fish cake, use Okinawan style if available); Chopped scallions (as needed); Pickled red ginger (as needed); Optional: chili oil or shichimi togarashi for heat

おか～さん @cook_40039363

A treasured dish passed down through generations! I’ve turned a flavor that could only be shared by taste and experience into a recipe. If my son and daughter learn it, this will be the fourth generation to enjoy our family’s flavor.

Recipe background:
My husband’s mother inherited this Okinawa soba from her grandmother when she got married. I’ve been making it for over 20 years since I married into the family. Until now, it’s only been passed down by taste and experience, so I wanted to write it down as a clear recipe for my family and as a record for the future.

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Ingredients

Serves 4–5 servings

Pork Broth
14–18 oz pork spare ribs (400–500 g)
1 tablespoon(about 0.35 oz/10 g) sliced ginger
5 cupswater (about 1.2 L, including extra water added during cooking)
Bonito Broth
0.7 ozdried bonito flakes (about 20 g)
4 1/4 cupswater (1 L)
Seasonings for combined pork and bonito broth
2–2 1/2 teaspoons salt (start with 2, about 10–15 g)
2 1/2 teaspoonsHondashi granules (about 0.25 oz/7 g)
1/4 teaspoonsoy sauce
Toppings
5servings Okinawa soba noodles
3–4 eggs (adjust based on size)
3.5 ozor more kamaboko (fish cake, use Okinawan style if available)
Chopped scallions (as needed)
Pickled red ginger (as needed)
Optional: chili oil or shichimi togarashi for heat

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Steps

1

Pork Broth:
First, parboil the spare ribs in water (not listed in ingredients) and drain. This step reduces scum and removes bone fragments, resulting in a clear broth.
2

Bring 4 cups (1 L) of water to a boil. Add the parboiled spare ribs and sliced ginger. Keep at a gentle simmer over low to medium heat.
3

Add 3/4 cup (200 ml) extra water during cooking. Skim off any scum and simmer for 1.5 hours. The broth will become cloudy and the ribs will turn tender.
4

For an even better broth, remove the spare ribs and discard the ginger. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer or paper towel.
5

Return the spare ribs to the pot to use as a topping, or season them separately with a sweet and savory sauce as shown in the photo. Both ways are delicious!
6

Bonito Broth:
In a separate pot, add 4 1/4 cups (1 L) water and heat. Just before boiling, add the bonito flakes.
7

Skim off any scum and simmer for 2–3 minutes, then turn off the heat. Let the bonito flakes steep for about 30 minutes without removing them. This is key for flavor.
8

After 30 minutes, remove the bonito flakes and strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer or paper towel. The bonito broth is ready.
9

Combine the pork and bonito broths in one pot. Heat gently and season with salt, Hondashi, and soy sauce. Turn off the heat. The soup is done! Make it a bit on the salty side.
10

Prepare the toppings as shown in the main photo. Slice the kamaboko, chop the scallions, and cut the thin omelet into 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) strips.
11

For the thin omelet, fold it in half while cooking to make it slightly thicker, rather than just a single layer. See the photo for reference.
12

For the noodles: My mother-in-law usually buys Okinawa soba noodles at the public market in Okinawa, but I usually order them online.
13

How to warm the noodles:
Use either step 14 or 15 depending on the noodle texture. If the noodles are soft, use step 14; if they are firmer, use step 15.
14

Place the noodles and soup in a bowl and gently loosen the noodles in the soup. Pour the soup back into the pot, then return it to the bowl and loosen the noodles again. Repeat until the noodles are warmed through.
15

For firmer noodles, heat one serving of soup in a small pot, add the noodles, and simmer for 1–2 minutes. This helps the noodles absorb the soup.
16

Note: Okinawa soba noodles are coated with oil. Don’t rinse off the oil, as it adds flavor. Let the noodles blend directly with the soup.
17

Once the noodles are warmed and have absorbed the soup, assemble the bowl as shown in the main photo. Add your favorite spicy toppings if you like.
18

The combination of soup, noodles, spare ribs, kamaboko, egg, and scallions creates a delicious, complex flavor. Both kids and adults love our Okinawa soba!
19

Try it with flat soba noodles for a different texture. Adjust the ratio of broths to your taste: more bonito broth for a lighter flavor, more pork broth for a richer taste.
20

For a quick sweet and savory sauce for the spare ribs (step 5): Simmer 3 tablespoons (50 ml) soup, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 3–4 tablespoons mirin until slightly thickened.
21

My father-in-law sometimes mixes in half bonito flakes and half mixed shaved fish flakes for a twist. This is also delicious!
22

We usually make three times this amount when serving a crowd!
23

When seasoning the soup in step 9, make it a bit saltier than you think is best. The noodles will dilute the flavor, so adjust the salt as needed.
24

This recipe was featured on Mezamashi TV’s cooking forecast (Kyushu/Okinawa) on December 15, 2014. Thank you!