KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 – It’s officially summer.
Sure our local climate insists that it’s summer all year long but even the unlikeliest weather forecasters will admit that it’s been rather hot lately (even after it rains, honestly).
When the temperature goes up, I dive into my noodle drawer (yes, I have an actual noodle drawer filled with everything from Italian pastas to rice vermicelli) and dig up a packet of somen.
Dried ‘somen’ noodles.
Yes, it’s time for summer noodles, served cold.
Not as common as ramen, soba or udon, somen are thin Japanese wheat noodles traditionally served cold. This makes them a popular choice for refreshing meals during Japan’s scorching summer months.
More than that, I always feel that there’s a quiet elegance to somen. Fine as silk thread and snowy white, these noodles are dropped into boiling water for scarcely more than a few minutes before they are then plunged into ice to firm their bite.
Ripe tomatoes.
Pour some chilled dashi broth over them, garnish with sweet slices of tomatoes and crispy, savoury seaweed, and you’ll have a bowl that will restore you even in the hottest days of summer.
CHILLED TOMATO SOMEN
The best part about this recipe is how it all comes together with minimal fuss – ideal when you are exhausted after a long day (or week) at work to bother with anything elaborate.
Sesame oil toasted seaweed.
Indeed, you’ll barely need more than 15 minutes from start to finish, especially if you’ve got everything ready in your fridge and pantry.
This dish is also perfect for when the weather is swelteringly hot as the dashi broth is served cold. I have made use of dashi powder here but you can use homemade dashi stock if you have any in your fridge or freezer.
What’s less typical though is the sharpness and intense aroma of the broth – I’ve added a splash of rice vinegar and a drizzle of sesame oil to punch things up a bit and balance out the umami.
Best of all, there’s no fish or meat in this recipe – it’s entirely plant-based – so you can make this a fully vegan meal without trying too hard.
Here the tomatoes add an almost tangy brightness to the noodles but it’s easy to make substitutions. Fresh cucumbers, thinly julienned, or even some okra (lady’s fingers), blanched and sliced into discs, would work wonderfully too.
Enjoy the chilled noodles and cold broth.
Ingredients
350 ml water
1 teaspoon dashi powder
60 ml rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
300 g dried somen noodles
2-3 ripe tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges
4-6 pieces of sesame oil toasted seaweed
Furikake with nori (dry seaweed) and toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling
2–4 ice cubes (optional)
Enjoy the chilled noodles and cold broth.
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the water, dashi powder, rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, sugar and sesame oil. Stir thoroughly until the sugar has fully dissolved.
Cover and chill the broth in the refrigerator until well-cooled.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the somen noodles and cook according to the instructions on the packet (typically 2–3 minutes).
Drain immediately and rinse under cold running water. Gently rub the noodles between your fingers to remove any excess starch.
Divide the noodles evenly between two serving bowls. Pour over the chilled dashi broth.
Garnish with a few slices of tomato and pieces of sesame oil toasted seaweed. Sprinkle it with furikake. If you like, drop in a couple of ice cubes just before serving to ensure the broth stays cold.
