Summertime Sōmen Noodles Recipes

JAPANESE COLD SOMEN NOODLES

Steps:

• [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.
• In a large pot, bring water to a boil. 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 the 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.
• Pour mentsuyu in individual dipping sauce bowls and add iced water to dilute. I recommend making homemade mentsuyu but if you're too busy, get a bottle of mentsuyu like this. See the instructions. You can check the ratio of mentsuyu to water on this page. This brand recommends 1:3.
• Put a small portion of scallion and ginger in the dipping sauce and dip the somen noodles to enjoy! To make it more filling, you can bulk up the noodles by tossing in other ingredients such as shredded egg crepes (see How to Make Kinshi Tamago), julienned cucumbers, boiled okra, and ham.

COLD THIN NOODLES IN CHILLED WATER (HIYASHI SōMEN)

Steps:

• Add all the Dipping Sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.
• 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.
• 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.
• Using chopsticks or a thin wooden spatula, stir the pot so that noodles are separated.
• Boil for about 2 minutes (note 3). Drain using a sieve and rinse well.
• Place noodles in a serving bowl, add chilled water (or water + ice cubes), just enough to cover the noodles.
• 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).
• Decorate the noodle bowl with leaves or cucumber slices, if using. Serve with dipping sauce and condiments.

SUMMERTIME SōMEN NOODLES

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling water, cook the sōmen noodles as directed on the package. Drain the noodles and place them in a large bowl filled with ice and water to serve. Your sōmen noodles will be the highlight of the table, so serve them up in a gorgeous bowl.
• Serve family-style in the middle of your table. Using tongs or chopsticks, place the noodles into individual bowls, shaking off any residual water before serving.
• Add your choice of sauces and toppings. I usually top with a touch of shōyu and rice vinegar, and offer a variety of toppings- negi, katsuobushi, arugula, tofu, avocado slices, etc.