Mak-guksu in Hon Tsuyu Broth
Mak-guksu, or Korean buckwheat noodles, is very similar and often interchangeable with Japanese soba noodles. In my opinion, mak-guksu is slightly less chewy than soba noodles (even though both are made of buckwheat). Both are equally delicious and either will work this recipe! These noodles are delicious hot or cold, but be careful to not overcook them and strain them after they’re done cooking to keep them from bloating. Even if you plan to serve them hot, a quick cold water rinse helps the noodles retain their bounce and shape.
Hon tsuyu, is distinctly a Japanese soup base and dipping sauce. It’s a concentrated sauce made from an extraction of bonito, and Japanese niboshi sardine (anchovy) oil mixed with soy sauce. It’s an umami heavy hitter with a hint of smoke on the end that comes together in a very smooth and not fishy at all sauce. That’s why I don’t think there’s a way to substitute this at all, so if you have to order it online I say do it! Hon tsuyu is very versatile -again it’s great as a soup base and dipping sauce, but think beyond to other foods that would benefit from an umami boost like marinades for grilling or roasting.
mak-guksu or soba noodles
hon tsuyu broth (I like the Kikkoman® brand one)
ice cubes (if making cold soup version)
serving bowl(s) & utensils
Fill one of the pots halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add mak-guksu or soba noodles when ready.* Optionally: add a handful of frozen sweet corn once the water boils with the noodles.
While the buckwheat noodles cook, check the dilution ratio for your hon tsuyu. The Kikkoman® brand recommendation is a 1:3 ratio of tsuyu to water —so 1/3rd cup tsuyu for 1 cup of water (depending how much broth you want this amount is good for 1-2 servings). For me this is still a little too strong so I usually add a bit more water. Feel free to go by taste alone! Add this to the second pot and bring to a simmer.
Once the tsuyu broth begins to simmer, turn the heat down to low to keep it hot OR remove from heat entirely and add some ice to cool it down to serve cold.
If you haven’t yet, check if the buckwheat noodles are done cooking. The edges should be slightly transparent and the center of the noodle when cut into (or bitten) should be slightly chewy, but not chalky or dry. The noodles begin to bloat when they’re overcooked and become sticky. Strain immediately and rinse briefly in cool water. If you’d like, splash and toss the noodles with a bit of sesame oil.
Finely chop the green onions. Optional: cube a small amount of silken tofu.
Assembly: start with the tofu and half of the green onions you want, cover with broth, then add the noodles and the rest of the green onions. Top off with more broth if needed. If serving cold, you might want to add a few more ice cubes to ensure the broth is sufficiently chilled.
*If you get a pack of mak-guksu chances are its just a bag of noodles (like when you buy a pack of spaghetti), but if you buy Japanese soba, sometimes the soba is pre-portioned in small bundles. One bundle is usually about one serving, but follow your heart on that.
This recipe lacks most measurements to keep it easily adaptable for larger or smaller cooking, but also because it’s the kind of recipe you cook by taste and learn by practice. It’s pretty difficult to fuck up beyond edibility —even if you overcook the buckwheat noodles it’s still fairly palatable.
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