Rokubei (Extruded Sweet Potato Noodles)

Name: Rokubei (Extruded Sweet Potato Noodles)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: sendango sweet-potato base 500 g; warm water 250 ml; burdock root 40 g; carrot 40 g; dried shiitake 3 g; kamaboko fish cake 30 g; green onion 5 g; dashi stock 150 ml; sake 3 ml; light soy sauce 5 ml; dark soy sauce 2 ml; salt 1 pinch

Quick answer

Total time: 65 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 5 servings
Ingredients: 12

About this dish

Dough made from sendango, a fermented sweet potato preserve, is pressed through a dedicated extruder called a rokubei-segi so short, thick noodles drop straight into boiling water.

The dish has been made in Shimabara and Tsushima in Nagasaki since the Edo period. The noodles are smooth outside, chewy inside, and faintly sweet from the potato. Once cooked, they are moved straight to cold water and rinsed to wash off the harsh surface. They are served in a clear broth of burdock, carrot, and shiitake seasoned with two soy sauces and sake, topped with fish cake and scallion.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

sendango sweet-potato base

salt1 pinch

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Instructions

7 steps

1

Crumble the sendango into small pieces by hand.

Add the warm water in portions and knead until moisture is distributed throughout. When smooth, form the dough into softball-size balls.
2

Bring plenty of water to a boil in a large pot and briefly blanch the dough balls.

Break them down with a rice paddle, let the hot dough cool enough to handle, then knead again until uniform and elastic.
3

Return the water to a strong boil.

Take small portions of dough and press them through the rokubei-segi, keeping hands and tool handles clear of the hot water so the short strands fall directly into the pot.
4

After all noodles are added and the pot returns to a boil, cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer immediately to cold water, wash the surfaces gently to remove harshness, then drain in a colander.
5

Rehydrate the dried shiitake and reserve its soaking liquid.

Shave the burdock thinly and soak it to remove harshness. Julienne the carrot and shiitake, thinly slice the kamaboko, and slice the green onion.
6

Combine the dashi and shiitake soaking liquid in a pot.

Simmer the burdock, carrot, and shiitake until tender, then season the clear soup with sake, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and salt.
7

Divide the drained rokubei noodles among five bowls and ladle over the hot vegetable soup.

Distribute the sliced kamaboko and green onion on top and serve immediately.