Soba noodle dipping sauce

 Soba noodle dipping sauce, Soba tsuyu.

So now you'll be ready to make restaurant quality noodle dipping sauce in a week!

I sometimes see questions about Japanese noodle dipping sauce on sns, but have never seen any comments mentioning the most important points, kaeshi and aging.

Then I realized that there are just so many things non Japanese simply don't have opportunities to know.

That is one of the reasons why I made this page.

I know traditional soba is not photogenic, but ppl here are interested more in taste, right?

It is not difficult at all.

It just takes a little more time than you think...

Mix Kaeshi Tokyo style 1 : Kombu Dashi 3~4 in a sauce pan.

Heat it till just before it gets to simmer, then turn off.

Let cool, then let sit in a fridge overnight to "round the edge".

Serve chilled.

* Example

Salty type (Suits dark Soba)

50ml Kaeshi + 150~200ml Kombu stock(+ a little bit shiitake stock, if you like)

↓

(Medium color Soba)

↓

Sweet type (Suits Sarashina Soba)

50ml Kaeshi + 200~250ml Kombu stock(or 150ml Kombu stock + 50~100ml Shiitake stock) + 1/2~1Tbsp Mirin

* Use thick kombu stock.

Because you only "dip" soba. Not "soak"!

* I don't recommend Shiitake stock as main stock.

Shiitake flavor is too strong to enjoy buckwheat flavor.

For light color soba, it is good to use only a little to enhance Umami.

* Use it within 1~2days, before kombu flavor fades.

Quick version.

In case you would like to make Tsuyu from soy sauce and other ingredients directly,

Like when you've run out of Kaeshi.

Combine 3Tbsp Soy sauce, 2~3Tbsp Mirin, and 180ml~240ml Kombu stock in a sauce pan, cook till just before it gets to simmer, turn off, then let cool.

Let sit in the fridge overnight.

Yup, quick version still requires waiting overnight.

I will write about how to choose soba in supermarkets and how to boil well soon!

Kaeshi, the seasoning base of Japanese cuisine

 Soy sauce mixed seasoning base, Kaeshi.

Why do old Japanese restaurants with long history taste good?

Why are they that different from new restaurants though the ingredients are same? Because they use expensive high quality ingredients?

Because they are good, so they managed to continue the business for a long time?

Maybe.

In fact one of the biggest differences is their seasoning base called Kaeshi.

Kaeshi is the principal Japanese seasoning base made from mainly soy sauce.

Cook soy sauce and other seasonings together, then age to "round the edge".

Cooking sauce of many of Japanese dishes consists of Kaeshi and Dashi(Kombu or Shiitake stock).

Of course there's no problem to use soy sauce directly.

But this process, making kaeshi makes a big difference.

In old restaurants, they never empty the container of Kaeshi.

When it gets to around 1/3, they add 2/3 newly made Kaeshi.

This means a 100 year old restaurant has Kaeshi that has been being aged for 100years!!

(Most of restaurants that use a lot of kaeshi such as noodle places top up as much as they use and recook everyday!)

Every restaurant has their own ratio.

A Tempra place has Kaeshi adjusted for their Tempra, a noodle place has kaeshi adjusted for their noodles, etc etc...

Sadly many people nowadays just buy ready to cook sauce for each dish in supermarkets for daily cooking though, some good home cooking chefs still make Kaeshi at home, but usually just one kind which is versatile, and use it in various kind of dishes.

In East Japan(Tokyo), dark soy sauce(Koikuchi-shoyu,濃口醤油）based one. Tastes stronger than Usukuchi, the color is dark.

In West Japan,(Kyoto) light soy sauce(Usukuchi-shoyu,薄口醤油）based one. Tastes gentle, the color is lighter than Koikuchi. You can choose according to your taste.

I usually keep both in very versatile ratio in my kitchen.

Here are my recipes!

Koikuchi Kaeshi(Tokyo)

(Good for Soba noodles, Tempura dipping sauce, Teriyaki, etc etc)

200ml Mirin

150g Sugar

1000ml Dark soy sauce

Pour Mirin in a sauce pan, cook to burn off the alcohol, then turn off.

Add sugar, stir to melt.

Add soy sauce, heat it to 85℃.

Turn off immediately when it gets to 85℃(Just before it gets to simmer)

let cool, cover with gauze or kitchen cloth, let sit overnight.

Transfer into a bottle, let sit for 2weeks.

Usukuchi Kaeshi(Kyoto)

(Good for Udon noodles, vegetable stew, Hot-pot, etc etc...)

500ml Mirin

500ml Light colour soy sauce

Pour Mirin in a sauce pan, cook to burn off the alcohol.

Add soy sauce, heat it to 80~85℃.

Turn off immediately when it gets to 80~85℃.

Let cool, cover with gauze or kitchen cloth, then let sit overnight.

Transfer into a bottle, let sit for 2weeks.

* I usually let them age at room temperature. If you are worried, it is OK to keep in the fridge.

* If you make "Top up" type of kaeshi, cook the old kaeshi too sometimes.