Eating a bowl of buckwheat noodles before midnight on New Year’s Eve is an old Japanese tradition that is supposed to bring long life and prosperity in the year ahead. Look for soba noodles in the Ethnic Aisle of your local Bashas’; they have a nutty, hearty flavor and they’re full of nutrients — plus, they often come in neat little bundles tied up with pretty paper ribbons!

Toshikoshi Soba

Prep Time: 10 MIN | Total Time: 15 MIN | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 pound soba noodles
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1⁄2 package soft or firm tofu, diced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1⁄4 cup scallions, whites and greens, sliced

Directions:

STEP 1: Fill the large pot half full of water and put it on the stove. Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook until tender, about 5 minutes (or follow the directions on the package). To test a noodle to see if it’s done, carefully fish it out with a fork, run it under cold water, and taste it.

STEP 2: Carefully pour the pot of noodles and water out into the colander in the sink, drain the noodles well, and run cold water over them until they’re cool. Divide the noodles among the bowls.

STEP 3: Meanwhile, put the medium-sized pot on the stove and pour the chicken broth into it. Turn the heat to high and, when the broth come to a boil, turn the hear down to low and add the tofu and soy sauce. Simmer gently until the tofu is warmed through, about 5 minutes.

STEP 4: Use the ladle to divide the broth and tofu among the 4 bowls. Top with scallions and serve right away.

You can find all of the ingredients for this recipe (and others!) at your local Bashas’. For more recipe inspiration visit ChopChopFamily.org and sign-up for their Kitchen Newsletter here. ChopChop Family’s goal is to enrich the lives of families by inspiring and teaching them to cook and eat real food together, while having fun and learning essential skills for a full life.