Somen Noodle Soup (Nyumen)

Step 1

Gather all the ingredients. For cooking the dried somen noodles, bring a big pot of water to a boil, covered, over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and keep simmering.

Step 2

In a large pot or donabe (I used this Hario's Yukihira Stainless Steel Pot), add the measured water and two dashi packets. Bring it to a boil, covered, over medium heat. If you have mentsuyu (concentrated noodle soup base), see the instructions below for how to prepare a quick somen broth.

Step 3

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 2-3 minutes. Then, squeeze the liquid from the dashi packets and discard them.

Step 4

Add the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and salt and mix it all together. Turn off the heat. Cover the pot with the lid (so the broth doesn’t evaporate) and set it aside.

Step 5

With a knife, cut the bok choy in half lengthwise. Then, cut it into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces. Separate the tough white parts and leafy green parts into two groups and set them aside.

Step 6

With a vegetable peeler, peel the carrot and cut it into thin rounds with the knife. Set them aside with the tough white parts of the bok choy.

Step 7

Remove and discard the stems of the shiitake mushrooms. If you'd like, create a decorative flower cut on the caps. Set them aside with the leafy green parts of the bok choy.

Step 8

Detach the bottom of the kamaboko (fish cake) by inserting the knife between the wooden board and fish cake. Then, cut into four thin slices. Set aside with the leafy vegetables.

Step 9

Cut the mitsuba and green onion into small pieces. Set them aside on a small bowl or plate to serve with the soup later on.

Step 10

In a small bowl, beat 3 eggs with a whisk (I love this flat whisk) and set aside.

Step 11

Remove the ribbons that wrap around the dried somen noodle bundles. The noodles take only 90 seconds to cook; therefore, you want to start cooking the noodles all at once.

Step 12

Add the tough white parts of the bok choy and carrots to the simmering broth. Cook, covered, for 4-5 minutes over medium heat.

Step 13

Add the shiitake mushrooms, kamaboko, and leafy green parts of the bok choy to the broth. Cook, covered, for 2 minutes. During this time, cook the somen noodles (instructions below).

Step 14

After cooking for 2 minutes, take out the kamaboko and shiitake mushrooms. This is an optional step and only applies if you want to decorate your final dish with kamaboko and shiitake on top of the noodles.

Step 15

Slowly drizzle a small amount of the beaten eggs over the simmering broth, which will create a fluffy texture. Place your cooking chopsticks at the edge of the bowl that contains the beaten eggs. This will help drizzle the eggs.

Step 16

Add the cooked somen noodles and let them warm up while the eggs continue to cook.

Step 17

Place the kamaboko and shiitake mushrooms on top of the noodles. Sprinkle the green onions, mitsuba, and sesame seeds on top.

Step 18

Serve the noodles, toppings, and broth into individual bowls and enjoy!

Step 19

Add the dried somen noodles to boiling water. Cook according to the package instructions (usually 1½-2 minutes; mine is 1½ minutes). I undercook the noodles by 30 seconds (so I cook the noodles for 60 seconds), since the noodles continue to cook once I place them in the hot broth.

Step 20

Stir the noodles occasionally, making sure they do not stick to the bottom or the sides of the pot. After cooking, drain the noodles into a sieve.

Step 21

Rinse the noodles in cold running water until they are cool enough to handle. Then, rinse them as if you are washing your clothes. You need to knead/massage the noodles to get rid of the oil. When you have finished, drain well.

Step 22

Follow your mentsuyu bottle instructions to make the broth. Your total volume of the broth should be approximately 750 ml or a little more than 3 cups. In a large pot, combine the water, mentsuyu, and mirin. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, cover with a lid and the somen broth is ready to use.

Step 23

Refrigerate the noodles, toppings, and broth separately for up to 2-3 days. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop until hot.