{{Short description|Japanese noodle dish}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox food | name = Tensoba | image = Tempura soba 3 by adactio at E-Kagen in Brighton.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = | alternate_name = | country = Japan | region = | creator = | course = | type = Japanese noodles | served = | main_ingredient = Noodles (soba), tempura | variations = | calories = | other = }}
'''Tensoba''', or '''tempura soba''', is a Japanese dish of soba noodles and tempura.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NanoJapan program |url=https://nanojapan.rice.edu/nanojapanIREU_guide_recommendations.shtml#FoodinJapan}}</ref>
==Overview== There are two varieties of tensoba: one is served with a hot broth of {{Transliteration|ja|dashi}} and soy sauce; the other is served with cooled soba and dipped in {{Transliteration|ja|tsukejiru}} ({{Lit|dipping sauce}}), either chilled or hot and usually strongly flavored. The dipping variety is also called {{Transliteration|ja|tenzaru-soba}} or {{Transliteration|ja|ten-seiro}}, depending on the soba shop or stand.
Like {{Transliteration|ja|tendon}}, tensoba uses many kinds of vegetable or seafood tempura, or {{Transliteration|ja|kakiage}} ({{lit|scratch tempura}}, using a mixture of vegetable or seafood bits).
==History== Tensoba originated during the mid-Edo period. It was first eaten as a hot broth soba with {{Transliteration|ja|kakiage}}, using the adductor muscles of surf clams. At that time, shrimp tempura-soba was more expensive than other ingredients. So, shrimp tempura-soba is also called {{Transliteration|ja|jo-tempura-soba}} ({{Lit|upper-class tempura-soba}}) or {{Transliteration|ja|ebiten-soba}}.
==Regional variety== There are some regional varieties for tensoba toppings. In Kanto and Kyushu, the soba shops often use {{Transliteration|ja|satsuma age}} (fried fish cake) or {{Transliteration|ja|chikuwa}} for tempura. These two fish cakes are sometimes batter-fried.
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Japanese noodle dishes
{{Japan-cuisine-stub}}