Japanese food delicacies, Ume Soba

One of the most popular Japanese dishes, soba, the Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour, is also one of the oldest, being invented in Edo, during the Tokugawa period. Soba quickly became very popular throughout Japan because of its taste and because it was an important supply of thiamine, a nutrient that was missing in the Edo period's diet.

Soba can be served hot, like a soup, or cold - which is my favorite - with a soy-based dipping sauce. Served on a small bamboo tray (zaru), my favorite version is with topping made of shredded nori (seaweed), negi (onion) and wasabi.

Besides the regular soba, you can also find fancier versions, like Cha soba, a green soba flavored with matcha (green tea) or the pink soba from my photo, Ume soba, flavored with ume (Japanese plum) - very tasty and appetizing...