What is Soba?
[[File:Japanese Zaru Soba02.jpg|thumb|250px|Soba served on a [[zaru]]]] {{nihongo|'''Soba'''|蕎麦}} is a type of thin [[Japanese cuisine|Japanese]] [[noodle]]. It is made from [[buckwheat]] flour. It is served either chilled with a dipping [[sauce]], or in hot [[broth]] as a [[noodle soup]]. Moreover, it is not uncommon in [[Japan]] to refer to any thin noodle as ''soba'' in contrast to [[udon]] which are thick noodles made from wheat. Because noodles made out of pure [[buckwheat]] can easily fall apart when boiled, the buckwheat flour is usually mixed with binders - often [[wheat]] [[flour]]. Under the Japan Agricultural Standards regulations, the noodles must contain at least 30% buckwheat in order to be called ''soba'' but noodles with a high buckwheat content are seen as more desirable. The raw noodles are made by making a [[dough]] out of buckwheat flour and binder. The dough is then spread out flat. After that, strands of noodles are sliced off with a special knife. The quality of noodles is highly dependent on the skill of the maker, especially for soba noodles with high buckwheat content. The raw noodles are boiled before being served hot or cold. In Japan, soba noodles are served in a variety of situations. They are a popular inexpensive [[fast food]] at [[train station]]s throughout Japan, they are served by exclusive and expensive specialty restaurants, and they are also made at home. Markets sell dried noodles and ''men-tsuyu'', or instant noodle broth, to make home preparation easy. Some establishments, especially cheaper and more casual ones, may serve both soba and [[udon]] (thick wheat noodles) as they are often served in a similar manner. However, soba is traditionally the noodle of choice for Tokyoites. This tradition originates from the [[Edo period]]. At that time, the population of [[Edo]] (Tokyo) was much richer than the rural poor, were more susceptible to [[beriberi]] because of their high consumption of white rice which is low in [[thiamine]]. They are thought to have made up for this