Japanese bouillon for noodles

Asian noodles enjoy a worldwide popularity, thanks to the easily prepared noodles that only need boiling water. Japanese noodles can be eaten hot or cold. When served hot, the noodlses must be piping hot, and it is allowed to make some noise while eating them.

The bouillon in which the noodles are served has two components: dashi and a liquid called tare no moto. All that is needed to do is temper them. The ratio between the two components differs for hot or cold noodles. Bouillon for hot noodles uses 1 part tare no moto to 6 parts dashi (for example ½ cup tare no moto and 3 cups dashi). Bouillon for cold noodles uses 1 part tare no moto to 4 parts dashi.

How to make dashi is described on another page. On this page is the recipe for tare no moto. This must be prepared at least twelve hours in advance to develop. It keeps for at least a week in the refrigerator.
Preparation 5 minutes (+ preparation of dashi + 12 hours waiting).

1.2 dl (½ cup) soy sauce
1.2 dl (½ cup) mirin (sweet rice wine, not the same as sake)
2 Tbsp sugar
salt (optional)

Preparation

Heat soy sauce and mirin in a small pan, add sugar as soon as it boils. Lower the heat, and stir with a wooden spoon until it boils again. Let it cool without a lid. Then keep in a closed container in the refrigerator fot at least twelve hours.
With 8.5 dl (3⅓ cup) dashi enough for 1 liter (4 cups) kake-jiru to serve with hot noodles.
With 3.5 dl (1⅓ cup) dashi enough for ½ liter (2 cups) tsuke-jiru to serve with cold noodles.

Ingredients

All descriptions of ingredients

Mirin

Sweet Japanese cooking rice wine. Opened bottles keep long. Sweet sherry is not really a substitute, neither is sake. Sugar syrup is better as alternative.

Japanese bouillon for noodles
© Author Christianne Muusers