Authentic Sesame Noodles - cooking recipe

Ingredients

For the shitake dashi
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 inch kombu seaweed
900 ml water
For the sesame dressing
750 ml shitake stock
300 ml soy sauce
250 g granulated sugar
230 ml rice vinegar
40 ml sesame oil
2 inches gingerroot, grated
For the noodles
200 g soba noodles
1 cucumber
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 head iceberg lettuce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

For the stock:
put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. When boiling remove seaweed. Simmer for 40 minutes, strain and cool.
For the dressing:
Boil the prepared stock and add the soy, vinegar and and sugar - stir until dissolved. Add ginger and the sesame oil. The dressing is ready and can be stored in the fridge for upto six weeks.
For the noodles:
Cook the noodles in boiling water until tender. (note - soba noodles tend to boil quite violently so have a jug of water on hand to arrest the boil) Rinse the noodles in cold water and add the vegetables and dressing and toss until coated.
The dish can also be adapted for a non veggie by adding some chopped chicken, ham or salmon.