Cold Somen is the Perfect Summer Meal

Whenever it’s hot and humid outside, I think of my Japanese grandfather putting a cold washcloth on top of his head while he repeated the words, “becha becha”. Apparently that referred to the humidity and feeling sweaty and sticky, which prompted him to request cold somen (thin Japanese wheat noodles) for lunch. I still find that summer meal refreshing and it brings back memories of Ojiichan.

You can buy dried somen and the appropriate “tsuyu”, or sauce in a Japanese market. However, I prefer to make my own sauce eliminating the MSG. It’s easy to do with the right ingredients. Here’s what I found on https://www.japanesecooking101.com/:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/4 cup sake
• handful of bonito flakes

Briefly boil the ingredients listed above and then strain out the bonito flakes. Combine one part of this sauce with 2 parts water.

I happened to be out of sake, so I used a dry white wine instead. It worked for my taste. After straining out the bonito flakes, I chilled the sauce to serve with cold somen.

This is an easy meal that’s quick to prepare because the only cooking involved is boiling the somen. The noodles are so thin that they cook very fast. Once tender, drain and rinse under cold water. Arrange them in serving sized bundles and top with ice if desired. Pour cold sauce into individual bowls. Technically speaking, I suppose you would call this soup, but I think it’s a great summer meal.

I decided to garnish with some raw veggies. My julienne peeler made quick work of shredding cucumber and carrots. Chopped up some napa cabbage and green onions as well. The cold smoked ahi with sesame seeds provided even more flavor and protein to round out this cool and refreshing dinner for a summer evening. What do you serve on a hot day that brings back fond memories? Salad is a no-brainer. Learn how to make a miso based dressing to take it to the next level with Asian flair.