This year I missed the year crossing toshi koshi noodles and Mr. Tess greeted the new year with the company of his laptop. He did get out a very nice chopstick rest!
I had a queasy headache all day, but I got out the chicken (usually I use duck breasts), started soaking the shiitake and kombu, dashi (yes, a packet—I wasn’t feeling well), soba, soy sauce, and so on, brought up Ms. Shimbo’s recipe on my blog, then succumbed to the call of my cozy bed for a nap.
The new year noodles (toshi koshi) I usually make are delicious,
so please click one of the pictures below for the recipe:
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The next thing I knew, it was 11:30 and almost 2012! Mr. Tess had made the year crossing noodles and was busily taking pictures for my blog! I was still queasy and half asleep so thanked him and returned to dreamland…
Kakejiru
(Broth for Hot Noodles)
2 servings
- 4 cups water
- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 piece kombu (2-inches by 4-inches)
- 1 packet dashi powder
- 1 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoon shoyu
Submerge the shiitake and kombu in 2 cups of water. Allow them to re-hydrate and flavor the liquid for 3 to 4 hours. Put 2 cups water into a saucepan to dissolve the packet of dashi powder. Add the kombu/shiitake liquid (reserve them for another use), then stir in the sugar and soy sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer for a few minutes.
Toshi Koshi
(year crossing noodles)
2 servings
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts*
- 2 bundles of soba noodles
- 1 bunch of green onions, sliced into 1-inch lengths
Place the chicken breasts in a steamer and cover. When the water comes to a vigorous boil, allow them to steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool them enough to cut into ½-inch slices.
Boil a large pot of water and cook the soba according to package directions. Rinse well in cold running water.
Be sure that your broth (recipe above) is hot. Add the green onion slices for a minute, then add the noodles and warm them for about 2 minutes. Divide the noodles between 2 large bowls, then spoon broth and green onions over them. Arrange sliced chicken over the noodles.
* These chicken breasts were huge. Each was plenty for 2 people! What is happening with chickens that they are so big!
Note: We’d had mussels with pasta the day before, and it was unusual that we didn’t finish them. Mr. Tess added them (with the lemon-wine-parsley broth and the extra brussel sprouts) to his lucky noodles.
so elegantly arranged…
≥^!^≤
Tess's Japanese Kitchen 
What is this “kombu”?
Kombu is a seaweed which is used for making dashi, the basic Japanese stock. It adds natural umami to a liquid.
Even though it’s 36 degrees here in Melbourne today (nearly 97 Fahrenheit) that hot noodle broth looks delicious! Will certainly give it a try.