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 Sōki soba | |
| Alternative names | Soba, suba |
|---|---|
| Type | Japanese noodles |
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Region or state | Okinawa Prefecture |
| Main ingredients | Noodles (wheat flour),broth (konbu,katsuobushi flakes,pork) |
Okinawa soba (沖縄そば) is a type ofnoodle produced inOkinawa Prefecture,Japan. Okinawa soba is a regional collective trademark of The Okinawa Noodle Manufacturing Co-op.[1] On Okinawa, it is sometimes simply calledsoba (orsuba in theOkinawan language), although this Japanese term typically refers tobuckwheat noodles in mainland Japan. The noodles of Okinawa soba are made from wheat flour, and do not contain any buckwheat.
The thick wheatnoodles more closely resemble the texture ofudon, and when served in soup, the broth is more similar to that oframen. The noodles tend to have a circular cross section in theYaeyama Islands and tend to be slightly flat in the rest of Okinawa Prefecture.
It is served in a broth flavored withkonbu (edible seaweed),katsuobushi flakes and pork. Standard toppings arekamaboko (fish cake), slicedscallion and a thick slice of stewedsan-mai niku (三枚肉, pork belly; lit. "three-layer meat") orsoki (boneless pork ribs) and usually garnished withbeni shōga (pickled ginger). For extra spice, diners can add a few drops ofkōrēgūsu, which consists ofchile peppers soaked inawamori rice liquor.
Varieties include:
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Today the wordsoba means buckwheat, in particular buckwheat noodles, in Japanese. This word is in origin an abbreviation ofsoba-mugi (buckwheat). The wordsoba refers to the edge in ancient Japanese andsoba-mugi meant "edgy wheat". Around the 16th century, buckwheat began to be processed into thin noodles. This method was originally known assoba-kiri (lit. soba cutting) but it was later abbreviated intosoba. Soba was mainly consumed in eastern Japan and was not popular in western Japan or on Okinawa. Buckwheat noodles remain rare on Okinawa, where they are known asNihon soba (Japanese soba) orkuroi soba (black soba).
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In modern Japan, the meaning ofsoba was extended so that it could refer to other types of thin noodles.Yakisoba (stir-fried noodles) contain no buckwheat.Shina soba, commonly known asChūka soba (Chinese soba), orrāmen today, is also made from wheat flour. Okinawa soba falls into this category and is made entirely from wheat.
Under a fair competition regulation, soba was standardized as "the noodles contain at least 30% of buckwheat." This definition caused a problem when Okinawa was returned to Japanese rule in 1972. In 1976, theFair Trade Commission tried to make Okinawa Prefecture drop the name "soba" because Okinawa's soba did not conform to the regulation. The Okinawa Noodle Manufacturing Co-op negotiated with the Fair Trade Commission and as a result it was accepted as one of several exceptions under the name ofOkinawa soba.
Some attempt to trace the origin of Okinawa soba to theRyūkyū Kingdom period. Chinese delegates possibly brought wheat noodles to the royal court,[2] though no link has been established to the modern Okinawan cuisine.[3]
The first known documented reference to Okinawa soba was in 1902 during the lateMeiji period when it was known asShina soba (Chinesesoba) as in mainland Japan. Several soba restaurants are known to have operated inNaha during theTaishō period and to have close links with the red-light district.[3] Soba restaurants were destroyed by U.S. attacks during theBattle of Okinawa. Its revival began in U.S. internment camps, where wheat rations were supplied. In the 1960s, soba was popularized with the introduction of noodle making machines. The popularization was accompanied by the transformation from a restaurant meal to home cooking. The mainland Japanese custom of eating soba on New Year's Eve was introduced to Okinawa in 1968, but buckwheat noodles were replaced by wheat noodles. Today, Okinawa soba is considered as a vital part of traditional Okinawan culture, although folklorist Nishimura Hidemi argued that it was aninvented tradition.[3]
In Brazil, a variation of Okinawa soba known assobá is popular in the city ofCampo Grande in thestate ofMato Grosso do Sul, due to the influence ofOkinawan immigrants.[4] It is eaten all-year long at street markets or in special restaurants called "sobarias".[5] As of 2019[update], the recipe has deviated from Okinawa style to suit Brazilian local preferences.[5]
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