yikesadoodle!

Traditionally eaten to bring good luck in the upcoming year.

Ingredients (broth):

• 6 cups water
• 3-4 large pieces of dried kombu (4″x4″)
• 2 cups bonito flakes
• 2 tbsp sake
• 4 tbsp mirin
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce

These amounts have been doubled from the original recipe to feed three people—if you are cooking for just one, you might want to cut in half.

Ingredients (toppings):

• buckwheat soba
• marinated mushrooms
• soft boiled eggs or tea eggs
• spinach or bok choy
• green onion
• sweet potato

The original recipe for this calls for very few toppings—the simplicity is part of the tradition—but we usually eat this after a new years eve party, so our tradition is to make this a little heartier. Add whatever toppings you’d like!

Directions:

1. THE DAY BEFORE: Soak the kombu in the 6 cups of water overnight.
2. If you want to add sweet potatoes, cut and put in the oven before you start prepping everything else.
3. Add your kombu and water to medium saucepan and slowly bring to a boil. The slower you bring it to boiling, the more flavorful it will be. If time allows, do this on very low heat. Otherwise, use medium-low.
4. Just before boiling, remove the kombu.
5. Add the bonito flakes and simmer for 30 seconds.
6. Turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes. This creates the dashi (broth).
7. Prepare all of the other toppings however you would like them, and cook your noodles.
8. Drain and reserve the dashi (broth) from the bonito flakes. (You can reserve the bonito flakes for furikake rice seasoning, if you want—or discard.)
9. Return the dashi to the saucepan over medium-high heat.
10. Add your sake, mirin, and soy sauce to the dashi and bring to a simmer.
11. Once boiling, turn off.
12. Add your noodles and toppings to a bowl, and pour broth over bowls individually.

Recipe based on X, with modifications to taste.