Quick and Simple Somen Recipe

How to prepare somen(そうめん)is a no-brainer. There are various ingredients and different ways to prepare it, but for a quick and simple Somen recipe, you only need four ingredients and three main steps to pull this traditional and healthy Japanese recipe off.

Here’s how to prepare a quick and simple Somen recipe

Just a heads up, this post will only focus on one serving which is good for one person. Note that some brands have each bundle of the noodles wrapped in paper so it’s easy to estimate the quantity to be cooked. One bundle is good for one person, but you may cook more depending on the person’s craving. Let’s get started then.

Ingredients:

  • Somen noodles
  • ice cubes
  • grated ginger
  • dipping sauce (Mentsuyu)
  • onion or scallion (optional for toppings)

Tip: When buying the sauce, look for the word ‘straight’ or ストレート, so you don’t have to add water to the dipping sauce.

Procedure:

  1. The first step is to boil water. Then, add the Somen noodles into the boiling pot of water, stirring the noodles to prevent them from sticking together.
  2. After 2-3 minutes, drain the Somen noodles in a colander or strainer under the tap or running water to cool it.
  3. Finally, put it on a bowl with ice cubes on the side and serve it with the sauce.

How to prepare the dipping sauce?

  1. Grate the ginger.
  2. Add the grated ginger into the dipping sauce and serve.

There you have it! Quick and easy, right? It only consumes three to five minutes of your time. Now, it’s time to know more about Somen.

What is Somen?

Somen is the thinnest noodle made from wheat flour that is served chilled with water and ice cubes, therefore, making it the star amongst all the noodles in Japan during the summer season. Its smooth texture and coolness make slurping so cool the same as when eating ice cream. The moment you start slurping it, you can feel your body starts to cool down. That’s why it’s the go-to dish for the Japanese on hot days.

Have you eaten Somen yet? As for me, I’ve eaten it not just in the summer season but also in autumn. You can eat it anytime in a year. To share with you a bit of my experience, it was five years ago when I visited Japan for the first time. I was feeling under the weather at that time and I remember my now my mother-in-law prepared a bowl of chilled Somen for me. When I saw it, I thought it wasn’t inviting at all. To me, it looked bland. Well, the noodles alone were tasteless, but the moment I put it in my mouth after dipping it on the sauce, it was so good! Believe it or not, I perked up after I ate it. Therefore, brings to the conclusion that it is also a cure for malaise, not just a normal summer dish.

Please click here to learn some Japanese expressions used before and after a meal.

Stay safe!

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