Cold Thin Noodles in Chilled Water (Hiyashi Sōmen)
Somen (or sōmen) is a very thin noodles served cold which makes it a perfect summer dish. Noodles are served in chilled water and the dipping sauce is also chilled. It is a very simple dish but wonderful to pop in between heavy meals to give your stomach a little bit of a rest.If you use dashi stock made from konbu (kelp), the dish will become a vegetarian dish.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 bunches of dried sōmen noodles (, about 200g (7oz) in total (note 1))
- Chilled water or a handful of ice cubes
- 200 ml (6.8 oz) dashi stock ((note 2))
- 50 ml (1.7 oz) soy sauce
- 50 ml (1.7 oz) mirin
- 2 tbsp finely chopped shallots ((scallions))
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- Japanese maple tree leaves , shiso (perilla) leaves, or cucumber slices ((optional))
Instructions
- 1
Add all the Dipping Sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- 2
Remove from the heat and cool it down quickly by leaving the pan in the cold water for a while, then place it in the fridge to chill.
- 3
Boil water in a large saucepan. Remove the tape around each bunch of sōmen noodles and place the noodles in the boiling water by spreading the strands.
- 4
Using chopsticks or a thin wooden spatula, stir the pot so that noodles are separated.
- 5
Boil for about 2 minutes (note 3). Drain using a sieve and rinse well.
- 6
Place noodles in a serving bowl, add chilled water (or water + ice cubes), just enough to cover the noodles.
- 7
Using chopsticks or tongs with soft edges, take a small number of noodles at a time and gently lay them in the same direction so that the noodles line up nicely (optional).
- 8
Decorate the noodle bowl with leaves or cucumber slices, if using. Serve with dipping sauce and condiments.