A Post-Mortem on Making Soba with a Home Noodle Machine

Hello. This is Chaya Farm.

Previously, Riho-mama purchased some buckwheat flour and wrote an article about making soba using a home noodle machine. I had been wanting to eat homemade soba myself someday, and I have finally managed to do it.

The product I purchased this time is called "Soba Raku".

[Postscript]
I realized after posting this article that there is also a higher-grade version called "Soba Raku Plus." This one can make udon in addition to three types of soba: thick, standard, and thin noodles. Just for your reference.

Riho-mama used a Philips noodle machine, but she wrote, "Cleaning it is a bit of a hassle, so I only use it about once a month." Looking at this "Soba Raku," I thought it looked easy to wash, so I chose it.

Now, let's move on to the post-mortem.

1. Things to prepare first

The first thing I thought was that it's easy because there are so few things to prepare.

2. Dry mixing, then water mixing

There are six nozzle holes at the bottom of the container, designed to drip water finely. As you turn it, the flour turns into a crumbly texture, and you stop at the moment it gains viscosity and starts clinging to the six claws.

The water mixer is super convenient. In soba making, this water mixing process is said to be the most important point. The very beginning is the biggest hurdle. But don't worry. Using this water mixer allowed me to distribute the water evenly.

If you turn it so that the claws reach not just the surface but the bottom of the bowl, it will turn out well. As an aside, when I searched for "soba making water mixing failure," I came across this article. It is a very valuable experience report and worth a read. You can really understand the importance and difficulty of water mixing.

3. Kneading

You can knead with the "Soba Raku" as well, but the manual says that kneading by hand is "easy and recommended!" I think using a little dusting flour will make it less likely to stick to your hands.

4. Shaping and setting up

5. Extruding, boiling, and chilling

According to the manual, the trick is to extrude it slowly at a constant speed. It seems that if you extrude it too quickly, the noodles will stick together, but since there is quite a bit of resistance when extruding, I thought you don't really need to worry about the speed. It is better to focus on keeping it constant.

6. Plating and eating

Now, for the taste, which is the most important part: it was delicious, no exaggeration. I'm sure there's a lot of bias because I used buckwheat flour that I grew and made myself, but it was delicious.

It didn't have a mushy texture, but had proper elasticity, and I could also taste the flavor of the buckwheat.

'Wait, it's delicious!? It can be eaten properly as soba. It's delicious! Wow, I'm so happy.' That was my reaction immediately after eating it. It went beyond just being delicious, and I ended up feeling happy.

It was easy to make without taking much time, and I was very satisfied with the result.

Having said that, I have some slight regrets. Recently, I've been influenced by gingamom, and I have a desire to beautifully coordinate the plates and soba dipping cups I use for serving. I would like to pay attention to such things in the future.

7. Cleanup

It is easier to clean if you soak it in lukewarm water for a while first. Since cleanup can be done quickly, I think I will use it whenever I feel like it, even several times a month. For now, this is definitely how I'll be making my New Year's Eve soba this year.

It is fun to do and you get to eat delicious soba, so why not spend a pleasant moment with your family making soba this New Year's Eve?

By the way, changing the subject, I am participating in a club activity hosted by Eijyo-san. It is called the "Soba Consumption Promotion Club 'Sazare-ishi'." If you are interested in soba, I would be happy if you felt free to join us. Let's work together to promote soba consumption!

#SobaConsumptionPromotionClubSazareishi

The end.