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Cold Somen Noodles　そうめん

Somen is one of Japan's most beloved summer dishes. These delicate wheat noodles cook in just 1½ to 2 minutes, making them a perfect meal for busy days and hot weather. Served cold with crisp cucumber, thin egg strips, ham, and a refreshing dipping sauce, somen is light, satisfying, and easy to prepare. In this recipe, I'll show you how to make authentic Japanese somen at home with simple ingredients and helpful tips so you can enjoy this refreshing summer classic anywhere.
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Servings: 1 person
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bundle somen (80-100 grams)
  • 1/2 Japanese cucumber
  • 2 ham slices
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 4 ice cubes
  • 1/4 cup mentsuyu (Japanese noodle soup base) as needed

Method
 

  1. Cut off the end of the cucumber and rub the parts against each other to reduce the bitterness. Rinse off the white residue, and cut thinly diagonally and then cut into thin strips.
  2. Cut the sliced ham into thin strips.
  3. Beat 1 egg. Heat up a frying pan with medium heat, and add 1 tsp of vegetable oil and spread the oil evenly in the pan.
  4. Pour in the egg and spread thinly. Make sure the egg is fully cooked and then turn off the heat.
  5. Once cooled, cut the egg into thin strips.
  6. Boil water and add the somen noodles to boil (usually 1.5 to 2 minutes). Stir frequently to prevent the noodles sticking together.
  7. Remove from the heat and pour the somen in a colander and wash with cold water.
  8. Immediately add the noodles to a bowl of ice-cold water.
  9. Place the somen, cucumber, ham, egg, and mentsuyu sauce together for serving. Mentsuyu sauce is Japanese noodle soup base. Pour about 1/4 cup of mentsuyu into a small bowl and add enough water to dilute to your desired concentration.
    It's ready!  We hope you enjoy your "TOKYO FLAVORS, NEW YORK STYLE" meal!  Itadakimasu!
    As you enjoy the meal, the sauce in your bowl will slowly become diluted, so add more mentsuyu from time to time to adjust the sauce concentration, as desired.

Notes

Make sure not to overcook the somen noodles. They cook very quickly, so follow the cooking time indicated in the package instructions and prepare the colander and ice water bowl in advance.
If preferred, chicken can be used instead of ham. Boil or steam a piece of chicken breast, allow it to cool, and then tear it into thin strips.
Japanese cucumber is ideal for this recipe. When it is unavailable, English cucumber can be a good substitute.