Soba noodles are a traditional Japanese noodle prepared with a mixture of buckwheat and regular flour and water. The higher the amount of buckwheat flour to regular flour the better the quality of the noodle. You can find the noodles dry in most supermarkets, but are also popular freshly made. Serve the noodles hot or cold.

Complete the rest of the dish before cooking the noodles.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with one tbsp. salt per gallon. Plunge the noodles into the water and stir to prevent them from sticking to each other or the bottom of the pot. Cook fresh soba noodles for 1 to 2 minutes and dried soba noodles 5 to 6 minutes.

Strain the noodles and add them directly to hot dishes like a soup,

Serve the noodles cold by straining them out of the boiling water and placing in a colander in the sink. Run cold water over the noodles until the water runs clear. Serve the noodles with fresh crunchy vegetables and dipping sauce.