It might sound strange at first – cold noodles?! But hear me out. This is in fact a very traditional Japanese dish, and one that may surprise you in its deliciousness.

Soba noodles are first cooked, then cooled under a running tap and often served with ice cubes – to keep them fresh and prevent them from sticking together. The silky noodles are then dipped into a cold smoky broth to add flavour. It’s a very refreshing summer dish, but if you want it more hearty, you could do it like the Japanese and eat these with hot tempura – a hot and cold combination which works really well.

By the way, soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, and are thus gluten-free. You might notice that the noodles I’ve used in my photos are not as grey as comon soba noodles, but more golden-coloured – that’s because I used up a packet soba noodles from my local organic shop, made with pumpkin and ginger, which obviously affected the noodles’ colour.

Also, don’t be afraid by the mysterious ingredients. You can get them all from Asian stores or order them online.