Food Recipes Dinner Pasta and Noodle Dishes Soba Bukkake with Chashu Pork and Sesame Vinaigrette Be the first to rate & review! This recipe from 2019 F&W Best New Chef Mutsuko Soma features chilled soba noodles with just a splash of rich broth, called mentsuyu, in the bottom of the bowl, topped with pork chashu and marinated eggs (steeped in the flavorful pork braising liquid). By Mutsuko Soma Mutsuko Soma A 2019 F&W Best New Chef and soba specialist, Mutsuko Soma was raised in Japan's Tochigi prefecture and studied soba in Tokyo after learning from her grandmother. She serves handmade soba noodles and Japanese specialties at Kamonegi in Seattle. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 2, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Greg DuPree Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Yield: 4 The dish comes together quickly using dried soba (with Soma's blessing; look for Shirakiku Hana Tororo Soba), and easily scales up for a crowd. The soba noodles can be made ahead of time and held in cold water. The mentsuyu, simply a fortified dashi, is super-quick to make and intensely flavorful. Any leftover mentsuyu can be used to marinate tofu, poach chicken, and steam or marinate sea bass, or can be served as a dumpling dipping sauce. F&W Best New Chefs 2019: Mutsuko Soma of Kamonegi in Seattle Ingredients Mentsuyu (Noodle Sauce) 4 cups water 4 ounces dried bonito flakes (about 4 cups) 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons mirin 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 dried shiitake mushroom cap 1 (1-inch) piece dried kombu Chashu and Marinated Eggs 1 (1-pound) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trussed 5 garlic cloves, peeled 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, unpeeled, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 4 large eggs 1 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup mirin Sesame Vinaigrette 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/3 cup toasted sesame oil Additional ingredients 8 ounces dried soba noodles, cooked according to package directions, cooled in cold water, and drained Scallions, sesame seeds, Chinese mustard, watermelon radish, zucchini, shiso, and micro purple basil or radish sprouts (optional) Directions Make the mentsuyu Stir together 4 cups water, bonito flakes, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, and shiitake in a medium saucepan over medium-low, and slowly bring to a simmer. Simmer until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and add kombu. Let stand 10 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard solids. Cool at room temperature 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Make the chashu and marinated eggs Place pork, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper in a large Dutch oven; add water just to cover. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until pork is just tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high. Add eggs, and cook 6 minutes. Immediately transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water. Let cool 10 minutes. Carefully peel eggs, and set aside. Stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, and mirin. When pork has finished braising, add soy sauce mixture to pan; stir. Simmer over low, covered, until pork is fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and add peeled eggs. Let pork and eggs cool in liquid, uncovered, 1 hour. Make the sesame vinaigrette Place sesame seeds, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper in a blender. Process until seeds are roughly chopped, about 5 seconds. With blender running, slowly pour in sesame oil to emulsify, about 30 seconds. Pat drained noodles dry. Divide cold noodles evenly among 4 bowls. Thinly slice pork; cut eggs in half. Top noodles evenly with pork and eggs. Drizzle each with about 1 tablespoon sesame vinaigrette. Pour about 1/4 cup chilled mentsuyu down side of each bowl. Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, Chinese mustard, radish, zucchini, shiso, and basil, if desired. Make Ahead Chashu pork and marinated eggs can be prepared through step 4, covered, and chilled up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding. Mentsuyu and sesame vinaigrette can be prepared up to 3 days ahead; cover and chill until ready to serve. Notes Shirakiku Hana Tororo Soba was our testers’ favorite brand; find it at well-stocked Asian supermarkets. Suggested Pairing Light-bodied, aromatic Muscadet. Originally appeared: July 2019 Rate It Print