Happy New Year’s Eve! Toshikoshi Soba is a noodle soup often eaten in Japan on New Year’s Eve. Toshikoshi translates to the end of the year in Japanese. This is a basic recipe with soba noodles in a seasoned dashi stock and topped with shredded nori (seaweed). You can add additional toppings for your taste such as leafy greens, a raw egg (make sure the broth is hot to lightly cook the egg), green onions, or kamaboko (fishcake). I just kept mine simple. Be sure not to break the noodles! Long noodles are eaten on New Year’s Eve to signify good luck and bring the person a long life.
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While this is a basic recipe with just a few ingredients, those ingredients may be difficult to find for some. Soba are long, thin buckwheat noodles. They are available in the Asian section of many larger supermarkets and markets with Japanese ingredients. They can also be found on Amazon: Hakubaku Organic Soba Noodles.
I topped the Toshikoshi Soba with Kizami Nori (shredded seaweed). I have been able to find it in Japanese markets or larger grocery stores with a sizable Asian section. It is also available on Amazon for a higher price: Kizami Nori.
Mirin is a sweet Japanese cooking rice wine. I use hon-mirin (true mirin) in recipes calling for mirin. I have been able to find it in Asian markets, larger grocery stores, and on Amazon: Eden Mirin Rice Cooking Wine.
Dashi is a stock used in Japanese cooking. It is made from kombu (dried Japanese kelp) and katsuobushi (bonito/tuna flakes). You can make your own dashi with kombu and katsuobushi or use instant dashi granules as a last resort. Check out Just Hungry for directions on how to make your own Dashi stock.
Toshikoshi Soba (Japanese New Year Soba) Recipe
Adapted from La Fuji Mama
Toshikoshi Soba (Japanese New Year Soba)
Ingredients
- 10 ounces soba (buckwheat noodles)
- 6 cups dashi
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- Kizami Nori for topping (shredded nori)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add soba and cook until al dente, just tender. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Divide among serving bowls.
- In a saucepan, combine dashi, mirin, and sugar over medium heat. Once boiling, decrease heat to medium low and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and cook just until heated through. Do not bring to a boil.
- Pour broth over the noodles and top with nori and any other desired toppings. Serve immediately.
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