Somen Japanese cold noodles

4.4 / 5 based on 35 Reviews

Updated: 01. July 2024 13:45
somen

Serving(s): 1

Ingredients

Utensils

Pot * 1 piece
Sieve * 1 piece
*Affiliate link: If you buy the linked product, we receive a small commission. There are no additional costs for you and you support our blog. We are very grateful and hope you enjoy cooking and eating (^_^)

Recipe Information

Vegetarian:
Vegan:
Lactose:
Gluten:
Calories: 150 Calories for 1 serving/s.
Difficulty: 1/3
Cuisine: Aus welchem Land kommt das Gericht?
Spiciness: Not Spicy Not Spicy Not Spicy Not Spicy
Category: Hauptgericht
Preparation time: 1 Min.
Cooking Time: 3 Min.
Total Time: 4 Min.
Keywords: Somen, japanische Nudeln, Weizennudeln, kalt, Hauptgericht
Original Characters: 素麺
No responsibility can be taken for this information

1 have already made this dish!

Benjamin

The preparation:

  1. Bring water to a boil in a pot.

  2. Once the water is boiling properly, add the somen noodles.

  3. Cook for exactly 2-3 minutes - unless otherwise stated on the package.

  4. Once the noodles are cooked, they need to be removed from the heat immediately.

  5. Place the somen in a strainer and rinse with plenty of cold water. Make sure they cool down quickly so they don't continue to cook.

  6. That's it, the somen are ready. Serve with tsuyu and toppings of your choice as a cool, refreshing summer dish. Enjoy!

Table of contents:

    Summary

    Somen are delicate Japanese wheat noodles, known for their fine, white appearance and a diameter of just one millimeter. Typically served chilled, they are enjoyed with grated ginger, spring onions, and a savory dipping sauce called Tsuyu, making them an ideal meal for hot summer days. Cooking Somen is quick, requiring only 3-4 minutes in boiling water, and it's essential to stir them regularly to prevent sticking. After cooking, they should be rinsed with cold water to stop the cooking process. Tsuyu, made from dashi and soy sauce, enhances their umami flavor, and various toppings such as cucumber strips, omelette, or shrimp can be added for extra taste. While Somen are perfect for cold dishes, they do not fare well in soups as they become overly soft. The site also explores the cultural significance of noodles in Japanese cuisine and highlights fun traditions like “Somen-fishing,” where noodles flow through bamboo and diners catch them with chopsticks.

    These light Japanese noodles made from wheat flour are often served chilled in Japan – refined with grated ginger, spring onions and a delicious dipping sauce called Tsuyu. A perfect recipe for hot summer days!

    What exactly are Somen noodles?

    Somen are white in color, measure just one millimeter in diameter and are made from wheat flour. Because Somen noodles are so thin, they cook very quickly: they usually only need 3-4 minutes in boiling water. There are also light pink Somen noodles made with the ume plum.

    Tips for cooking Somen

    • Stir the noodles regularly during the cooking process. This will prevent them from sticking together.
    • Once the Somen are cooked, immediately pour them into a sieve and rinse with cold water. This will prevent them from cooking further after the cooking process.

    Which sauce goes well with Somen?

    Tsuyu is perfect. This sauce consists of Dashi and soy sauce and brings the concentrated umami flavor of the Dashi broth. In addition, you can refine Tsuyu with ginger, spring onions and a Shiso leaf. Umeboshi and Wasabi also go well with it.

    Can I add other ingredients to Somen?

    Of course! If you're not happy with the light, cold noodles, sliced cucumbers, omelette strips or even ham are good options. Other tasty toppings are cooked shiitake mushrooms, shrimps, nori or okra.

    What are Somen not suitable for?

    The fine noodles are not so good in soups. In the hot broth, the Somen continue to cook and quickly become soft and mushy.

    Cold noodles in Japan

    Noodles play a big role in Japanese cuisine. They are served hot with a variety of side dishes and toppings. But some types of noodles are also very popular cold. Besides Somen, these include Soba noodles. Here we have an article where you can learn everything about Soba noodles.

    Soba
    Soba The Japanese Buckwheat Noodles

    Somen fishing

    A special highlight is “Somen fishing”! You can find this attraction mainly in Japanese mountain villages. The Somen noodles flow past you in bamboo pipes in the water and you have to fish them out with chopsticks. Here's a video for you to see this spectacle.

    Jetzt RyuKoch auf Instagram folgen
    Write a comment now

    Comments

    • Gast Logo Felix - 26. February 2019 17:00

      Hallo Ryu,
      sollte man Somen lieber gleich nach dem abkühlen essen oder kann man die auch bedenkenlos für den nächsten Tag für die Arbeit aufheben?

      • RyuKoch Logo Ryusei von RyuKoch - 04. March 2019 10:35

        Hallo Felix, du kannst Somen auch bedenkenlos am nächsten Tag essen. Am besten sind Somen natürlich sehr kalt und wässrig. Kannst es ja einfach ausprobieren. MfG Ryusei Hosono von RyuKoch

    Rate this post