somen

Chilled somen noodle served with grated ginger, scallion and a delicious dipping sauce called Tsuyu. This is a perfect Japanese noodle recipe for hot summer days.

Somen

bundles dried somen noodles

ginger ((½ inch, 1.3 mm))

green onion/scallion

shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) ((thinly sliced, optional))

myoga ginger ((thinly sliced, optional))

¼ cup mentsuyu/tsuyu (noodle soup base)

iced water ((needed only if you use concentrated mentsuyu))

[Optional] Traditional Japanese restaurants tie up the noodles to enhance the appearance of the somen and this is how you do it. Tie the edge of somen noodles with cooking twine. This way noodles will stay in one direction while cooking. I normally skip this step for home use.

Boil water in a large pot. When boiling, remove the wrapper.

Add the somen noodles in the boiling water (do not add salt!). Stir noodles with chopsticks so they don’t stick to each other. Cook according to the package instructions. If necessary, add a little bit of cold water in the pot to prevent overflowing.

Drain somen in a colander and wash the noodles with hands under running water.

Once noodles are cold, find the knotted parts of somen noodles and pick them up. Cut off the edge and discard. Hold each bundle gently and arrange it nicely on a serving plate. Somen can be served with ice to keep cool.

Cut the scallion finely and grate the ginger. Put them in small dishes. Put mentsuyu in small bowls and add cold (iced) water to dilute.

Put a small portion of scallion and ginger in the dipping sauce and dip the somen noodles to eat. Enjoy!

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Noodles will be stuck so you may want to loosen up in cold water before serving.

To Store

A refreshing cold noodle dish in a sweet and sour gochujang sauce. Perfect for the warm weather!

Bibim Guksu (Spicy Cold Noodles)

buckwheat noodles (memil guksu)

cucumber (about 3 ounces)

carrot (about 3 ounces)

red cabbage leaves

lettuce leaves

kimchi

sesame oil (See note)

sesame seeds

Korean chili pepper paste, gochujang

Korean chili pepper flakes, gochugaru

Korean/Asian hot mustard paste, gyeoja (optional)

sugar (or corn syrup/oligo syrup) (adjust to taste)

rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar (adjust to taste)

soy sauce

garlic

Mix all sauce ingredients and keep it cool in the fridge. The sauce can be prepared ahead of time, and it will keep well for up to 2 weeks.

Julienne the cucumber, carrot and red cabbage. Thinly slice the lettuce. Keep them cool in the fridge or in ice water (drain well before using) if you like.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking.

Drain and rinse in icy cold water until the noodles are very cold. Make two one-serving size mounds. Place the mounds in a colander to drain.

Place the noodles in the middle of the serving bowl and nicely arrange the cold vegetables over the noodles. Drizzle the sesame oil over,  sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and place a half of boiled egg on top.  The sauce can be served on top or separately.

Alternatively, you can toss it all together before serving. Mix the noodles well with the sauce, add the sesame oil and vegetables, and toss well. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and place a half of boiled egg on top.

Known as nyumen in Japan, this quick and nourishing Somen Noodle Soup is a regional food of Nara prefecture. It’s cooked in a delicious dashi broth and filled with nutrient-rich ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, vegetables, fish cake, and egg. You&#39;ll love its simplicity and comfort! It&#39;s ready in just 20 minutes!

Somen Noodle Soup (Nyumen)

dashi

mirin

tsp sugar

¼ tsp kosher salt

bok choy ((2 oz, 60 g))

carrot ((1 oz, 30 g))

shiitake mushrooms ((1 oz, 30 g))

kamaboko (fish cake)

eggs (50 g each w/o shell)

bundles dried somen noodles ((5.3 oz, 150 g))

mitsuba (Japanese parsley)

½ tsp toasted white sesame seeds

Tbsp mentsuyu/tsuyu (concentrated noodle soup base)

water

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.

In a large pot or donabe (I used this Hario&#39;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.

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.

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.

To Make the Somen Broth

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.

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.

Remove and discard the stems of the shiitake mushrooms. If you&#39;d like, create a decorative flower cut on the caps. Set them aside with the leafy green parts of the bok choy.

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.

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.

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

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.

To Prepare the Ingredients

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

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).

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.

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.

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

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

To Cook the Somen Noodle Soup

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

To Serve

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.

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.

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.

To Cook the Somen Noodles

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.

To Make the Quick Somen Broth (with concentrated mentsuyu; optional)

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

In Hawaii, onaga is the most prized kind of snapper and the centerpiece of festive meals. Glenn Yamashita steams the whole fish, Chinese-style, with a sour-salty stuffing, a topping of preserved vegetables and a tumble of aromatics. Two of the ingredients are readily available in Hawaii but may require more of a search elsewhere: chung choi, salted turnip wrapped in its own leaves — pickled mustard greens are a fine substitute — and scallop powder, which can be approximated with fish sauce. Skeins of Japanese somen noodles are tucked beneath the fish and hot oil poured over at the end. Done right, it crackles.

Uncle Glenn’s Onaga (Steamed Red Snapper With Somen)

garlic cloves, crushed

peanut oil

whole red snapper

bundles somen (about 7 ounces)

celery stalk,

carrot,

scallions,

white onion,

cilantro, leaves

(3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (1/3 cup)

oyster sauce

scallop powder fish sauce

The day before cooking, submerge the garlic in the oil in a small container. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to cook, check the fish for any remaining scales and scrape off, paying special attention to the head and tail. Rinse the fish and pat dry. 

Boil the somen according to the package instructions, rinsing and draining well. While the noodles are still damp, arrange them on a serving platter and cover with plastic wrap.

Loosely toss together the celery, carrot, scallions, onion and cilantro leaves in a small mixing bowl. Set aside at room temperature (if refrigerated, the hot oil added at the end won’t sizzle). In another small bowl, mix the chung choi, ginger and cilantro stems, and stuff 1/2 cup of the mixture inside the fish cavity, including the head. Pat the remaining few tablespoons over both sides of the fish’s body.

Set a steamer rack or other metal rack inside a wok or roasting pan large enough to accomodate the fish and set on the stove, straddling two burners if needed. Have ready the wok’s lid or sheets of foil large enough to cover the roasting pan tightly. Add enough water to come up to the rack (1 to 1 1/2 inches). Bring the water to a boil over high heat. 

Meanwhile, stack 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to hold the fish. Turn up and crimp the foil at the edges to create a boat just large enough to fit the fish. The raised edges will catch the drippings, which will make the sauce. Put the foil boat on the rack over the boiling water, then lay the stuffed fish on the foil. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil and let steam for 15 to 18 minutes (6 minutes per pound). Don’t lift the lid to check on the fish, as this will cause the temperature to drop. Adjust the temperature as needed if the lid begins to clatter. Uncover and check to see if the fish is done: The eyes should be white and bulging, the mouth slightly agape and a chopstick inserted into the flesh should slide in easily. Turn off the heat.

Using two long spatulas, gently transfer the fish to the somen platter, laying it on top of the noodles. Lift the foil boat out of the steamer, careful not to spill any sauce, and pour the sauce into a small bowl. Add the oyster sauce and scallop powder (or fish sauce) and stir. Pour the sauce over the fish, then cover the fish with the vegetable and herb garnish. 

Pour the reserved garlic oil into a small saucepan. Heat over high until the garlic turns golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and discard the garlic. Slosh the soy sauce over the garnished fish, then carefully pour on the hot garlic oil, letting it sizzle. Serve immediately.

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Somen

Bibim Guksu (Spicy Cold Noodles)

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Top 4 somen recipes from across the web

The most viewed somen recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Somen

Bibim Guksu (Spicy Cold Noodles)

Somen Noodle Soup (Nyumen)

Uncle Glenn’s Onaga (Steamed Red Sn...

The most viewed somen recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine