Somen Salad Food

SOMEN SALAD

Steps:

• First step is to prepare all the toppings. Thinly slice the kamaboko (or can use char siu, ham, or Spam). Julienne the cucumber and carrot. Chop the green onions. Scramble the eggs, let cool, and then thinly slice.
• Second step is to prepare the sauce. Put the chicken broth, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour in a small bowl and set aside.
• Now cook the somen noodles. Bring water to a boil. Slice in the two bundles of dried somen noodles and cook for 3 minutes. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water (this stops the somen from cooking and cools the noodles).
• Then it is time to assemble! Divide the somen noodles between two bowls and top with the kamaboko, cucumber, carrots, green onions, and egg. Use as much or as little of the toppings as you prefer. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
• Pour the sauce all over the noodles/toppings. Mix with chopsticks and eat. Enjoy ^_^

JAPANESE SOMEN SALAD WITH SWEET AND SOUR DRESSING

Steps:

• Cook somen noodles. In a medium pot, boil water over medium-high heat and add dried somen noodles. When the water begins to bubble and foam, quickly add 3/4 cup of cool water. Continue to cook somen noodles and bring to a boil once more. Add another 3/4 cup of cool water. Turn off heat. Drain somen noodles and rinse with cold water. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator to chill.
• Prepare the dressing for the somen salad. In a small bowl, combine sugar and rice vinegar. Mix well. Heat the rice vinegar and sugar mixture in the microwave oven for 10 to 15 seconds until the sugar dissolves. Next, add Memmi Noodle Soup Base and canola oil. Allow the dressing to cool.
• Make kinshi tamago or thinly sliced Japanese egg omelet.
• Slice iceberg lettuce into long thin pieces and cucumbers into julienned pieces. If using green onions as a garnish, thinly slice these on the diagonal for a beautiful presentation.
• Slice the fish cake by first making horizontal slices to create fan-shaped pieces. Next, make julienne pieces by cutting each kamaboko vertically, so that each piece has a touch of colorful pink.
• Chop store-bought pre-cooked BBQ charsiu pork into bite-sized pieces. Or substitute with shredded chicken, ham slices, or cooked shrimp.
• Assemble somen salad in a shallow platter. On the bottom of the platter, spread somen noodles. Next, layer with lettuce and cucumber. Top with BBQ charsiu pork, and then garnish with kinshi tamago (thin Japanese egg omelet), green onions, and roasted sesame seeds. Before serving, pour dressing over and serve immediately.

SOMEN SALAD

Steps:

• Scramble the eggs.
• Slice in strips.
• Lay somen inn a 9x13 pan.
• Garnish with lettuce, ham, eggs, kamaboko and green onions.
• Put dressing ingredients in a bottle.
• Shake well and pour over salad.

SOMEN SALAD

Steps:

• Clean lettuce and tear into bite sized pieces. Dry lettuce in a spinner and spread pieces on a large serving platter.
• Boil one to one and a half quarts of water in a large saucepan. Drop somen noodles in boiling water and cook until soft about 3-5 minutes. Do not over cook. You can substitute soba (buckwheat noodles) if you like. Drain and place in iced water to stop cooking. Drain noodles in colandar or strainer. Coat noodles with a tablespoon of canola oil to keep them from sticking.
• Crack eggs into a small bowl and whisk until light yellow. Fry eggs, omelette style in an oiled saute pan over medium heat. Turning when eggs are set. Remove from pan and cool. Slice into thin strips and set aside.
• Slice cooked boiled ham into thin strips. You could also add shredded cooked chicken. Set aside.
• Slice char siu pork into thin strips and set aside.
• Peel and slice cucumber lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon. Slice cucumber into matchstick sized pieces and set aside.
• Slice kamaboko (Japanese fishcake), into thin strips about an inch long and 1/8 inch thick and set aside. You can substitute crab or surimi (imitation crab sticks) instead.
• Clean scallions (green onions). Cut off the roots and the tips of the leaves if they are brown. Chop the scallions, including the green leaves into 1/4 inch pieces and set aside.
• Additional ingredients you can add would be thinly sliced celery, diced tofu, gobo-ten, grated carrots, jicama, zucchini, or cooked shrimp.
• If sesame seeds are not already toasted, toast sesame seeds in a small dry saute pan over medium heat, shaking pot to stir the seeds until you hear them pop and they become aromatic. Remove from heat and place seeds in a bowl to cool. Be careful not to overcook them, they burn easily.
• In a jar with a tight lid (glass jars are better), combine the rice vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, sugar, soy sauce, salt, and canola oil. Cover with lid and shake until well blended. Shake again before serving. You can double the dressing if you like.
• To assemble salad, Take about 1/3 cup of noodles and make a bundle. Place bundles of noodles on the lettuce. Sprinkle chopped ham, over the noodles followed by char siu pork, cucumber, egg omelette strips, kamaboko, and any additional topping of your choice, and then top with green onions. If you prefer you can put the lettuce and somen in individual plates and keep the toppings in separate containers. Each person can choose which toppings they want.
• Immediately before serving, shake jar of dressing and pour over salad.