Customer Reviews

Eden Selected, 100% Whole Buckwheat Soba, 8-Ounce Bags (Pack of 12)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For those of us who want to cook these noodles using traditional Japanese cooking techniques; here are the instructions:

Traditional Cooking Instructions for Japanese Noodles: You can boil the noodles as you would any other pasta or you can use the traditional Japanese style of cooking noodles, which takes a little longer but is well worth the effort. This method is referred to as the shocking method, cold water is added to boiling water several times during the cooking process, creating a more firm, tastier noodle. For this method, place 2 quarts of cold water in a large pot, cover and bring to a boil. Remove the cover, add the noodles and stir to prevent sticking. As soon as the water comes to a boil again, add enough cold water to stop the water from boiling (about 1/2 to 2/3 cup). Bring to a boil again, and add cold water again. Repeat one or two additional times until the noodles are done. Periodically check the noodles by removing a strand and biting or cutting it in half. If the center of the noodle strand is white and the outside is darker, the noodles are not done. When the center of the noodle is the same color as the outside, and the noodles are firm yet tender to the bite they are done. Rinse Japanese noodles under cold water to prevent clumping.

I'm not sure why Eden doesn't include the instructions on the package but they are on their website.

Yes, I put a little peanut oil in the water and do the cool/boil 3 times over the 8 minute cooking time. I made my own Tsuyu sauce because it's much less expensive than the prepared suace and easy enough to do. The recipe is simple:

3 cups dashi (bonito and konbu (kelp))
1 cup dark soy
1 cup mirin (or sake with 3/4 cup sugar)

It lasts for months in the refrigerator.

Enjoy...

Originally, I felt the same way the other reviewer did about these, but then my boyfriend told me to add about a tablespoon of oil to the water (maybe a little more) as they were cooking and they weren't all clumpy and sticky anymore. They work great for me as I can't eat gluten and brown rice pasta seems to raise my blood sugar more than I'd like. The corn in quinoa pasta is out for me too! Allergies. This is a perfect alternative so I'd highly recommend it. It tastes good in stir fries and with tomato sauce!

Update: Oddly, I did the oil thing and they still got clumpy this past time. We discovered if you rinse them with water while they are in the strainer, as soon as you take them out of the pot, they separate and are perfectly normal again. Hope this helps!

As another poster said, the trick is to just rinse with cold water after cooking. Then the noodles separate and are very tasty.

For one serving: I just break the noodles in half (or smaller pieces, just take a bunch and break all at once) to fit into about 1 cup or so of hot water (heated in the microwave), then heat on high uncovered for about 4 min, check to see if it needs a little more zap time (or just leave it for a few more minutes in the hot water). I have a low power microwave (500 W), you will need to experiment. Then rinse with cold water in a collander, and add whatever you want. Then you can warm it up again for a hot dish.

The same technique can be used for any kind of pasta, just don't try pure semolina wheat - it disintegrates. A mix with durum wheat or any whole grain pasta of any kind works well. Be careful not to overcook corn pasta, though. Some rice pastas are short-cooking, but Pastariso or Lundgren rice pastas cook longer like any wheat/kamut/spelt pasta. Corn and rice pasta need the cold rinse approach, others might not.

OK guys, what we have here is a basic misunderstanding about how Japanese buckwheat noodles differ from semolina pasta. This was my favorite food when I lived in Japan, so let me tell you how it's done. The cloudy boiling water means it's high quality soba. Eden is right about adding cold water, but only keep cooking it until it's al dente--sometimes three repetitions is too long. When the soba is done, SAVE a cup or two of the cloudy boiling water for a special treat later. Drain the soba noodles and rinse them. Then, and this is critical, soak them in a bowl of ice water for 3 minutes until they're nicely chilled.

Japanese people do not stir-fry their soba noodles, as far as I can tell, so if you want to go that route you're on your own. The Japanese tend to eat all their noodles wet. Soba is often in hot soup, but the best way in the summer is to use a dipping sauce. You can buy one from an Asian market (I like Yamaki brand). Sometimes you're meant to dilute the dipping sauce by half or a third with water. Into the dipping sauce grate some radish, slice some scallions, and put a dab of wasabi paste. Mix it up. Then pick up a small clump of soba noodles, put them in your dipping sauce, and then slurp some of those noodles up into your mouth. Make sure that you take in air as you slurp and don't suck too tightly or the noodles will fly up and hit you in the eye! Repeat.

When you've finished your noodles, pour some of the left over boiling water into your dipping sauce. Mix and drink! It's healthy and delicious and all the best restaurants do it. Itadakimashou!

Great source of carbs and good for the circulatory system. Being pure buckwheat they will clump together until you rinse them. I think they are much better this way for variety if you have the unrelated traditional wheat already in your diet elsewhere. I always eat these plain right after cooking and rinsing them and I could not be happier.

Boil, rinse in cold water, dash of sesame oil, then add your stir fried vegetables on top. OH SO GOOD.=D

I am gluten intolerant. Most soba noodles have a blend of buckwheat (no gluten) and wheat (lottsa gluten) - at least those that I've found in our local stores, and I've checked a few. There may be more g-f soba noodles available now; that's changing in leaps and bounds. These soba noodles are great. Cook up just like they're supposed to, taste great and I know they are safe for me to eat. I am enjoying a nice serving of soy-free miso (look up South River Organic Miso - Amazon carries it, too) with gluten-free soba noodles for dinner. I don't think you can go wrong.

I want to thank all the previous reviewers for providing wonderful cooking tips. I used Japanese soba sauce with a little wasabi and green onion, and sprinkled some shredded dry seaweed. The combined flavor is just divine :) It's wonderful for people looking for a gluten-free solution.

I was all excited to receive the substantial package containing the soba, but when I opened up the outer box and looked inside, I found this note on the inner package: "Made on equipment that also handles wheat."

There went seventy something bucks. (no pun intended)

Obviously, it depends on how sensitive you are and how much risk you're willing to take, but it's not worth it for me.
I'm just going to give these out to family and friends.

The noodles came out gummy, and they stick together and clump. I thought I just overcooked them at first, but the second time I cooked them, they still came out in clumps, but were too toothy. You'll notice that the cooking water becomes very murky while cooking it too, and so maybe the noodles are just too starchy.

I will never buy these noodles again, but they get 2 stars just because I love this company and their approach to food.