Japanese Tanuki Soba Recipe
The origin of the name "Tanuki Soba" is surrounded by various theories. The most popular explanation is that "tanuki" refers to the raccoon dog, a native Japanese animal often featured in folklore and cultural stories, which inspired the dish's name.Another theory suggests the name comes from its connection to another noodle dish, Kitsune Soba (fox soba). Additionally, some believe that "tanuki" may derive from the phrase tane-nuki, which means "ingredients removed" in Japanese. Since tenkasu (tempura crumbs) lacks the vegetables or shrimp typical of regular tempura, the dish might have earned its name for this reason.
Ingredients
- Flour – 3 tbsp
- Water – 3 tbsp
- Deep-frying oil
- Dashi – 4 cups
- Salt – 1/4 tsp
- Soy Sauce – 2 tbsp
- Mirin – 3 tbsp
- Sake – 2 tbsp
- Dried soba noodles – 200g
- Green onions (thinly cut) – 2
- Shichimi Togarashi (hot pepper powder) – optional
Instructions
- Begin by preparing tenkasu. Take a small bowl and add flour and water to it. Combine both the ingredients until the flour dissolves in the water. Make sure to not overmix as it will begin to create gluten.
- Now, take a medium sized pot and add enough oil to deep fry the mixture. Using a brush or chopsticks, drop the prepared mixture in the oil. Remember to keep the flame at medium high (350F or 175C).
- Using a fine-mesh skimmer, take out the fried batter as soon as it begins to get golden in color and starts to float on the surface. Transfer them on a plate lined with paper towel. You can also store the additional tenkasu in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for about a 1 week. However, if you place it in the freezer, it will be fit for consumption for up to 2-3 months.
- It’s turned to take dashi and bring it to a boil. Add soy sauce, mirin, sake and salt to taste. Once done, cover the container in order to keep it warm.
- Next, prepare the dried soba noodles according to the instructions given on the package. Transfer cooked soba noodles to the freshly prepared hot soup and allow the dish to simmer for about a minute.
- Lastly, serve your noodles and soup into different bowls and add the cooked fried Tenkasu and chopped green onion on top. If you prefer, you can also add shichimi to top it off and there you have it. Your delicious tanuki soba is ready to be served!
Nutrition
Calories: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 19gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 1961mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10g
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