Steps

1. Prepare 700ml of Dashi Broth in a bowl.
   🕒 00:16
2. Add 4 tbsp Soy Sauce, 4 tbsp Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine), and 1 tbsp Sugar to the same bowl and mix lightly to create the seasoning base.
   🕒 00:30
3. Trim the hard ends from the 4 Shiitake Mushrooms.
   🕒 00:58
4. Separate the caps and stems of the shiitake mushrooms. Cut the caps into bite-sized pieces. If the stems are large, cut them in half. [Key Tip!] Mushrooms release a lot of water when cooked, so cut them slightly larger.
   🕒 01:11
5. Slice 1/2 Leek (or 1 if thin) diagonally into about 5mm thick pieces.
   🕒 01:46
6. Wash the green base of the leeks under running water to remove any dirt, then slice diagonally.
   🕒 02:15
7. Cut 1/2 Chicken piece (approx. 165g) in half lengthwise.
   🕒 02:27
8. Pat the surface of the chicken dry with paper towels. [Key Tip!] Excess moisture on chicken can lead to spoilage and off-flavors. This step is also good for storage.
   🕒 02:39
9. Use the tip of your knife to remove any excess dark sinew. [Key Tip!] Carefully remove sinew as it can cause an unpleasant odor.
   🕒 02:53
10. Feel the entire chicken piece with your hands to check for and remove any remaining bones or cartilage.
    🕒 03:04
11. Use the tip of your knife to pierce and break down any tough white sinews, making the chicken more tender.
    🕒 03:13
12. Cut the chicken into bite-sized rectangular pieces.
    🕒 03:29
13. Lightly season both sides of the cut chicken with salt.
    🕒 03:43
14. Place the chicken, skin-side down, in a cold, deep frying pan. Heat over medium heat without adding oil. [Key Tip!] Cooking without oil allows the chicken's own fat to render and evenly brown the ingredients added later.
    🕒 03:53
15. Prepare 150ml of Cooking Sake (Rice Wine) (unsalted is recommended).
    🕒 04:28
16. Once the chicken is browned, add the leeks and shiitake mushrooms, stir gently, and flip the chicken.
    🕒 04:46
17. Pour the prepared 150ml of Cooking Sake (Rice Wine) into the pan. Once it boils, skim off only the foam that rises to the surface.
    🕒 05:06
18. After skimming the foam, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
    🕒 05:25
19. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil for cooking the soba noodles.
    🕒 05:36
20. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and add the [A] seasoning base to the reduced ingredients in the pan.
    🕒 05:42
21. Heat over medium heat until the broth is warm. Taste and add a little more soy sauce (not included in the recipe) if you prefer a stronger flavor. Turn off the heat once it boils. [Key Tip!] The flavor will dilute when the soba is added, so aim for a slightly richer taste at this stage.
    🕒 05:59
22. Cook the 200g Soba Noodles in boiling water for 1 minute less than the time indicated on the package.
    🕒 06:24
23. Rinse the cooked soba noodles in cold water 3-4 times, washing away the slimy surface and firming the noodles. [Key Tip!] For hot soba, cook 1 minute less than the package suggests and rinse in cold water. For cold soba, cook for the full package time and rinse in cold water.
    🕒 07:05
24. Thoroughly drain the water from the soba noodles.
    🕒 07:40
25. Turn the heat under the broth back to high and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the drained soba noodles and cook over high heat until warmed through. [Key Tip!] Adding the soba to boiling broth and cooking over high heat prevents the noodles from becoming mushy and ensures a delicious result.
    🕒 07:55
26. Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped Mitsuba (Japanese Parsley).
    🕒 08:55