Nikutama Ankake Soba (Beef & Egg Soba Noodle Soup)
Nikutama Ankake Soba is a unique dish that combines nutty buckwheat noodles with aromatic beef, tender egg ribbons and a thick, glossy ginger-infused dashi soup.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 ptns dry soba noodles (or fresh soba noodles)
- 150 g thinly sliced beef (preferably well-marbled cut)
- 50 g maitake mushrooms (or mushroom of your choice)
- 1 tbsp ginger root (peeled, julienned)
- 1 tsp cooking oil (neutral oil like vegetable, canola, or rice bran)
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 1 tbsp sake (drinking-grade pure rice sake recommended)
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp grated apple
- ½ tbsp sugar (I used light brown sugar)
- ½ tsp grated ginger root (or ginger paste)
- 500 ml dashi stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp mirin
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- ½ tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko) (or cornstarch)
- 1 tbsp water (for slurry)
- 2 eggs
- finely chopped green onions
- grated ginger root
- tempura flakes (tenkasu)
Instructions
- 1
Take a bowl or container and add 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp grated apple, ½ tbsp sugar and ½ tsp grated ginger root. Mix well, then add 150 g thinly sliced beef. Mix until coated, then cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
- 2
Once the marinating time is up, heat a frying pan over medium heat and add 1 tsp cooking oil. Once hot, add 1 tbsp ginger root and fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- 3
Add the marinated beef along with the marinade and 50 g maitake mushrooms to the pan.
- 4
Simmer the beef and mushrooms in the sauce until the beef is cooked and the mushrooms are softened, then remove the pan from the heat.
- 5
Boil 2 ptns dry soba noodles in plenty of water for the time stated on the packaging. Once cooked, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water.
- 6
While the noodles cook, make the soup. Take a separate pot and add 500 ml dashi stock, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp mirin, ½ tsp sugar, ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and ½ tsp oyster sauce. Mix well and heat until it reaches a boil.
- 7
Once boiling, turn off the heat. Take a small bowl and mix 1 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko) and 1 tbsp water to make a slurry. Slowly drizzle the slurry into the soup while mixing continuously to prevent lumps.
- 8
Turn the heat back on and bring to a gentle simmer, mixing occasionally. In the meantime, crack 2 eggs into a jug and whisk thoroughly.
- 9
Once the soup starts to bubble again, drizzle the whisked eggs into the pot one-third at a time, allowing the soup to return to simmer between each addition. Stir in one direction to prevent breaking the eggs. Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, take the pot off the heat.
- 10
Rinse the cooked soba noodles with hot water to warm them through, then shake thoroughly and place in serving bowls. Pour the eggs and soup over the noodles, then top with the beef and mushroom mixture.
- 11
Garnish with finely chopped green onions, grated ginger root, and tempura flakes (tenkasu) to taste. See note for additional flavor variations. Enjoy!