Soba noodles are often served in Japan after big parties or at the end of an evening’s drinking. They are also traditionally served on the 1st January to celebrate the start of a new year with the long noodle strands symbolising a long life as well as strength and resilience both characteristics of the buckwheat plant. Soba cooks quickly (in just over five minutes) but they are quite fragile due to the lack of gluten so require a delicate hand. They were originally served chilled with a dipping sauce, but today they are more commonly served in hot broth as a noodle soup topped with colourful and nutritious vegetables, seaweeds and sesame seeds.