Ingredients
800g soba noodles
4 nori sheets
Soba dashi stock
100ml soya sauce
100ml mirin
200ml dashi stock (see recipe below)
1/3 cup Japanese sugar
Egg omelette, cut into 2 sticks
8 cooked prawns, peeled, deveined
4 tbsp fish flakes (sakura denbu)
1 cucumber, cut into sticks
4 x sweet bean curd
1 tbsp white roasted sesame seeds
Sushi vinegar
200ml rice vinegar
80g sugar
20g salt
Dashi stock: Makes 1.5 litres
10cm square piece dried kombu
1.5 litres (6 cups) cold water
15g bonito flakes
Method
1. To make the dashi stock: wipe kombu with a dry cloth to remove any dirt, but take care not to wipe away white crystals sticking to the surface.
2. Place kombu and cold water in a saucepan over medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes, slowly bringing to a simmer. Remove kombu when softened, and just before the water starts to simmer. Increase the heat and bring the liquid to the boil. Add bonito flakes and boil for 2 seconds, remove from heat. Allow the bonito flakes to stand for 5 minutes, or until they sink to the base of the pan. Skim off any frothy scum. Strain the stock through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or strong paper towel.
3. Cook soba noodles according to packet instructions, drain, cool in iced water. Drain well, set aside.
4. Make soba dashi: combine all ingredients in a pot, bring to the boil, cool in fridge.
5. For sushi vinegar: mix together all the ingredients.
6. Mix sushi vinegar and soba dashi, add cooked soba noodles. Set aside for 20 minutes for flavours to infuse, remove and drain the noodles.
7. Place 1 nori sheet on a sushi mat (bamboo makisu – if not, cling film or non-stick baking paper will do) followed by soba noodles and then remaining ingredients.
8. Gently lift the end of the mat closest to you, and roll it over the ingredients to enclose. Continue rolling the mat forward to make a complete roll. With one hand on top, gently roll mat back and forth a few times to make a nice round shape. Leave for five minutes to set. Using a sharp knife, portion into 8 pieces.
Wine match: Riesling