Soba Sesame Salad (Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Sesame Dressing)

Cut 100g cucumber, 70g carrot, and 80g red cabbage into thin strips of similar thickness so the vegetables distribute evenly among the noodles. Cook 160g soba in boiling water until tender but still springy. If the foam begins to rise over the pot, lower the heat to medium so the noodles continue cooking without breaking. Immediately rinse the cooked soba in several changes of cold water, rubbing it gently by hand to reduce the slippery surface starch. Drain it in a sieve, shake out water trapped between the strands, and let it cool completely. Rinsing and draining are separate controls: the first cleans and cools the noodles, while the second prevents leftover water from thinning the measured dressing. Mix 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds before combining the salad. Stir until the seeds are distributed throughout the liquid. Just before serving, place the cold noodles and vegetables in a large bowl, pour over the dressing, and toss lightly. Serve as soon as each strand and strip of vegetable is thinly coated rather than leaving the noodles to sit in the liquid. Thorough cold rinsing followed by complete draining is the central sequence for keeping the noodles separate and the dressing at its intended concentration.