Summer is finally here and with it long, georgeous days filled with beautiful sunshine (yes, that`s right, I looooove summer!). Here in Los Angeles it can get pretty hot and humid though and I am often at a loss with what to eat. Being hungry without appetite doesn`t make for the best cook…

Since we live in Koeatown and my husband has a thing for Asian cuisine we prepared Somen the other day and what can I say… this dish has already made it on my favorite summer recipes list! It`s so light and refreshing and fun to eat, plus it will only take a couple of minutes to prepare.

Somen are thin wheat flour noodles that can be found at East-Asian grocery stores. They only cook in three minutes and are served chilled on a bed of ice. Traditionally the icy-cold Somen are dipped in a light sauce called Tsuyu – also to be found in stores or prepared at home. In this recipe I replaced Tsuyu with a light soy sauce variation, making the dish fully vegan.

Icy-Cold Somen

∼ 2 Servings ∼

2 bundles somen
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon mirin or sherry
2 scallions, chopped
Ice cubes for garnish

 

Boil somen for 3 minutes or until soft. Drain and rinse in cold water as if you were washing laundry the old fashioned way. This will ensure that the noodles stop cooking and help prevent them from sticking together, removing any excess starch.

In a bowl combine soy sauce, water, ginger, sugar, and mirin.
Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Place a bamboo mat over a plate and add a few ice cubes. The mat is like a drain cover and the melted water will seep below it.
Top the ice with somen noodles so they remain cold, and garnish with chopped scallions.

Serve with sauce on the side.