Japanese Noodle Broth

5 cups prepared dashi stock*

2 tsp sugar

1/3 cup mirin*

1/4 cup soy sauce

Soba (Japanese Buckwheat Noodles)

Chopped green onions

Put 5 cups dashi stock into large pot. Add sugar, mirin and soy sauce. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. (If using instant stock, make sure it dissoves.)

Cook soba in boiling water until al-dente. Put a little soba in bowl and serve with broth. Garnish with chopped green onions. Can be eaten hot or cold.

You can add just about anything to this broth, for instance sliced fresh ginger, chicken, rice, jullienned carrots, any kind of oriental mushrooms (canned straw mushrooms are fun). Or try adding a crushed dried red pepper for some excitement. Shrimp and mussels (in the shell) would be very good too.

*Dashi stock is a fish broth that is easily made from the instant broth mix that can be found in oriental markets or easily made from scratch (see below). For the instant granuals, it takes about one rounded teaspoon of instant to each 2 cups of water. Mirin is a sweet cooking sake that also can be found in the oriental market.

DASHI STOCK

1 6-inch piece of dried kombu kelp

1/3 cup bonito flakes

4 cups cold water

Soak the dried kombu piece in the water for about 20 minutes or more. Bring the water to the boil. Add the bonito flakes. Immediately turn off the heat and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pressing down to remmove as much liquid and flavor as possible. Makes 3-4 cups