Dinner, Japanese, Lactose Free, Pasta, Ramen, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Summertime Meal, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Aunty Ruby’s Somen Salad

December 21, 2024

Perfect for a New Year’s Eve Potluck or New Year’s Day Lunch

Around a dozen years ago I posted a recipe for this refreshing cold noodle salad. The recipe was created by my aunt Ruby who was a fantastic cook and it is one of my favorite dishes. This noodle dish is eye catching with its layered rainbow of bright colors. Crispy carrots, cucumbers, ham, and slivered scrambled eggs atop delicate somen noodles are tossed with a tangy umami dressing just before serving.

The dressing is a perfectly balanced combination of rice vinegar for tanginess, soy sauce for a salty umami flavor, fragrant sesame oil and neutral canola oil, sugar to balance the salty soy sauce, and ground sesame seeds for a rich nutty flavor. It smells divine as you whisk it up in the bowl.

Long ago I splurged and bought a Zojirushi sesame seed grinder after seeing it being used at a sushi restaurant. I have gotten a lot of good use from this little kitchen gadget. There are many other options for grinding sesame seeds. Small hand held grinders are available online and at some Asian markets. You can also crush the seeds in a mortar and pestle if you have one.

All the toppings should be thinly sliced. If you are using smaller Japanese cucumbers they can be julienned or sliced thinly.

A solid choice in a pinch is this Oscar Mayer ham (available at Times on Maui). It’s very easy to cut into thin strips since it is neatly stacked. Any type of thinly sliced ham will work.

Take care not to overcook the somen noodles. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water and ice cubes or place in a large bowl with ice water. The noodles should retain their springy texture and not be mushy.

Everyone will fall in love with this somen salad, and for good reason. It can be made a day in advance, is perfect for a potluck (New Year’s Eve!), is budget friendly and most of all it is plain delicious.

Tips for making the best somen salad:

*Use a large tall pot to boil the noodles as they have a tendency to foam up so you need that extra space!

*Watch over the stove when boiling the noodles and cook for exactly 3 minutes or according to package directions stirring occasionally. Immediately drain the noodles and run under cold running water with a cup of ice. Swish the noodles around the ice to cool completely. Or drain noodles and quickly place them in a large bowl of ice water. Have the ice cubes or ice bath ready before the noodles are done cooking. The noodles are very thin so any additional time they remain in the hot water means they will continue to cook.

*Slice the vegetables, egg and ham thinly so they are approximately the same size. I used packaged ham because it is so easy to slice since it is already stacked neatly. Any type of thinly sliced ham works.

*For a vegetarian version omit the ham. You can add thinly sliced pan-fried tofu strips to the salad. For a vegan version, omit the eggs and ham and add tofu as mentioned above. Or simply serve the salad with lots of crunchy veggies.

*Crispy vegetables are the key to making this noodle salad so satisfying. Quickly blanched and lightly salted bean sprouts, thinly sliced celery or daikon can be used.

*You may not need all of the dressing so it’s better to add spoonfuls as you toss the salad together.

Aunty Ruby’s Somen Salad

Recipe by Kiyo

Servings

3-4

servings

Ingredients

Dressing
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
4 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon ground sesame seeds
Salad
1 package somen noodles (3 bundles, 8 ounces) somen noodles
3 cups finely sliced iceberg lettuce
2 medium carrots, julienned
2 small or 1 medium Japanese cucumber, julienned or thinly sliced (seeds removed)
4 ounces thinly sliced ham
2 large eggs, whisked and fried in a thin layer, cooled and sliced into strips (use low heat, cooked eggs should not be browned)
Finely sliced green onions (optional)
Roasted black sesame seeds for topping salad (optional)

Directions

Combine sugar, rice vinegar and soy sauce in a medium bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add canola or vegetable oil, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Set aside. The dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator.
Have all the topping ingredients ready to go (vegetables, sliced ham, cooked and sliced egg). This can be done the same morning you are planning to serve the somen salad. Keep refrigerated.
Cook the somen for exactly 3 minutes (or even a few seconds less) or according to package directions. Immediately drain and place the noodles in an ice bath or run cold water and ice cubes over the noodles to cool quickly. Drain the somen well in a colander. With a double layer of paper towels in one hand, lift some of the noodles with the other hand and gently dab off excess water that may be dripping from the noodles (don’t leave noodles on towels as they tend to stick). Continue with the rest of the noodles transferring them to a low sided serving bowl as you go. This will ensure there is no excess water in the serving bowl.
Layer with toppings: iceberg lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, ham, egg. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds if using. You can chill the salad until ready to serve. The noodles should be very cold, not room temperature. If serving right away, make sure to chill the noodles in an ice bath before continuing with layering the topping ingredients. Spoon some of the dressing over the noodles right before serving. Toss, adding more as needed. The noodles should be well coated with the delicious dressing.

Notes

Recipe can be doubled (or more) to feed a larger group of people.

Dinner, Korean, Lactose Free, Recipes, Tofu, Vegetarian, Veggies

Green Tea Noodle Salad

March 2, 2021

On my recent trip to Oahu I visited H Mart, a terrific Korean market in Kakaako. I had so much fun checking out all of the items on the shelves, slowly making my way down each aisle being careful not to miss anything. There are dozens of types of nori, instant noodle bowls, rice, snacks and more. They also have a nice selection of meat and produce. I always bring back some Chinese broccoli if they have it. This time I was able to squeeze a large package of fresh green tea noodles in my small cooler bag. When I returned to Maui I decided that I should create a dish that would feature these noodles in a refreshing salad.

These noodles are similar in shape to the fresh Sun Noodle udon I buy at Island Grocery (a good substitute for this dish).

I love the bright green colors in this salad which consists of cucumbers, edamame and lots of fresh cilantro. For a pop of color and crunch, I included sliced radishes that I cut as thin as possible and placed in an ice bath for 5 minutes to get them super crispy. Use whatever you have on hand, such as julienned carrots, lettuce, watercress and avocado.

Sriracha is a key ingredient in the dressing. We use our homemade sriracha but the “Rooster Sauce” works very well.

The dressing can be used on any cold noodle salad, drizzled over tofu, or as a dressing for a crispy iceberg salad.

Korean Green Tea Noodle Salad

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2

Ingredients

8 ounces fresh green tea noodles (substitute fresh udon or your favorite noodles)
½ cup cooked edamame
½ Japanese cucumber, julienned
1 small radish, sliced thin and chilled in ice bath for 5 minutes
chopped cilantro
chopped green onions
sliced Fresno pepper (optional)
Dressing:
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1½ tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons light miso
1 teaspoon gochugaru
3 teaspoons sriracha (less or more depending on your preference)
2 teaspoons finely ground roasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Boil the noodles according to the package directions. Immediately transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside to drain.
Whisk all of the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined.
Divide noodles between two bowls. Drizzle some of the dressing over the noodles. Top noodles with vegetables, cilantro, green onions and Fresno pepper if using. Serve extra sauce on the side to drizzle over the vegetables.

Dinner, Korean, Lactose Free, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Asian Cucumber Salad

January 24, 2021

This is a quick (10 minutes max) cucumber dish that is perfect to serve alongside teriyaki meat sticks, lemon grass tofu, and Korean hamburger patties. It’s a very refreshing salad that everyone will enjoy.

Japanese cucumbers are the best choice for this salad. They are super crispy with tender skins and have very few seeds. I always have a big jar of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) on hand. The chili flakes add a subtle heat and beautiful pop of color to salads like this one.

We have some beautiful cilantro growing in the garden so I added a few tender leaves to the salad. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, use thinly sliced green onions or chives. If you are not planning to eat the salad right away, store cucumbers and dressing separately until ready to serve.

Asian Cucumber Salad

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 Japanese cucumber (about 5 ounces)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (Kikkoman recommended)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
¼ - ½ teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
few sprigs of fresh cilantro torn into pieces (may substitute thinly sliced green onions or chives)

Preparation

Slice the cucumbers into thin rounds, about ⅛th-inch thick.
Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well until sugar has dissolved. Mix in gochugaru and and most of the sesame seeds.
Place cucumbers in a low sided bowl. Spoon sauce over the cucumbers. Sprinkle remaining sesame seeds over the top followed by the cilantro.

Dinner, Japanese, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cold Miso Sesame Ramen

August 13, 2020

Cold noodle dishes have always been a favorite of mine, especially during the summer when it is blazing hot. Dressings and sauces made with light miso are always so tasty. I enjoy its mild and slightly sweet flavor. This is such an easy meal to throw together if you are short on time. You can make it in advance, just leave the dressing out until you are ready to serve it.

Hakubaku dried ramen is a good choice if you can find it. Otherwise use your favorite ramen or substitute it with thin spaghetti.

With just a handful of ingredients, you can quickly put together a satisfying lunch. The Fresno pepper adds a little bit of heat, and a beautiful firecracker red color.

The miso dressing is also excellent tossed with crispy greens such as iceberg lettuce, watercress, red and green cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, and radishes.

For its ease and flavor, this has become a new favorite dish of mine no matter what time of the year it may be.

Cold Miso Sesame Ramen

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Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 small Fresno chile
2 mini Japanese cucumbers
2 - 4 green onions
cilantro (optional)
2 limes (2 tablespoons + wedges for serving)
¼ cup mild miso
2 teaspoons roasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 small garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons grapeseed or canola oil
8 ounces dry ramen
roasted sesame seeds for serving
cilantro sprigs for serving (optional)

Preparation

Heat water for ramen in a large pot. Meanwhile, cut Fresno chile in half lengthwise (I use disposable gloves when handling chile peppers). Remove the ribs and seeds (leave ribs in for spicier flavor). Slice into strips and finely chop.
Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise into ¼-inch thick half-moons. Thinly slice green onions.
Cut ½ lime into wedges for serving. Juice the other half along with the second lime into a small dish, until you have 2 tablespoons.
Whisk together 2 tablespoons lime juice, miso, sesame oil, brown sugar and garlic in a small bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk in grapeseed oil until dressing is smooth and thick. Whisk in water 1 tablespoon at a time until dressing is the consistancy of heavy cream (1½ - 2 tablespoons). Set aside.
Cook ramen according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly, shaking off any excess water (excess water will dilute the dressing). Transfer noodles to a large bowl and toss with the sauce. Add chile, cucumbers, and green onions. Toss again. Divide noodles among shallow bowls. Top with roasted sesame seeds, sprigs of cilantro if using, and lime wedges.

Dinner, Fish, Japanese, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes

Japanese-Style Tuna Udon Noodle Salad

July 10, 2020

If you’re looking for a tasty summer dish that isn’t time consuming, this tuna udon salad should be at the top of your list. Besides being absolutely delicious, it is a beautiful bowl filled with udon noodles, rich and flavorful tuna in olive oil, crisp cucumbers, radishes and watercress. Feel free to come up with your own version using different vegetables such as shredded iceberg lettuce or red cabbage, julienned carrots, bean sprouts and so on. Ever since I spotted this recipe on Carolyn’s Food Gal blog I knew it was something I would thoroughly enjoy. I tweaked the recipe a bit by omitting the wakame which I have never been a big fan of, but use it if you fancy it.

Be sure to use a good canned tuna in olive oil for this dish. Tuna in olive oil is silky, tender and so flavorful. I recently read an article in Cook’s Illustrated that rated canned tuna in olive oil. Ortiz took top honors as did Tonnino (6.7 ounce jar). But these brands may be difficult to find. However, they also recommended a few brands that are more widely available; Starkist Selects solid yellowfin tuna in extra virgin olive and Wild Planet albacore in extra virgin olive oil.

I sliced the vegetables very thin so they melded nicely with the silky noodles and buttery tuna. Placing the sliced radishes in an ice water bath for a few minutes helps to crisp them up.

There are so many miso options these days, I always have a few tubs of them on hand. I am quite fond of Cold Mountain’s mellow white miso. It lends the perfect flavor to many dishes, including the dressing for this recipe.

The dressing for this tuna noodle salad is very simple to make. Whisk the ingredients in a bowl and you’re all set. The dressing would also be excellent for any crunchy salad such as iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, red and green cabbage.

Japanese-Style Tuna Udon Noodle Salad

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Salad:
6 ounces dried udon noodles (Hakubaku is a good choice)
1 small Japanese cucumber, thinly sliced
1 medium red radish, thinly sliced and soaked in an ice water bath for 10 minutes
handful of watercress, chopped (optional)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
nori, cut into thin strips
1 can tuna in olive oil, drained slightly (I used Ortiz)
1 teaspoon furikake or roasted sesame seeds
Dressing:
2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon soy sauce (Kikkoman recommended)
2 tablespoons mellow miso paste

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the udon noodles and cook according to package instructions. Pour the noodles into a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain very well. Set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. Set aside.
Transfer the drained noodles to large bowl (it's best if the noodles are free of any water to ensure the dressing doesn't get diluted). Add some of the dressing to the noodles, tossing to coat them thoroughly. Divide the noodles among 2 bowls (shallow rather than deep). Arrange the cucumbers, radishes, watercress, green onions and nori around the perimeter of each bowl. Place the tuna in the center of the bowls, sprinkle with furikake or sesame seeds. Serve extra dressing on the side.

Dinner, Kimchi, Korean, Recipes, Side Dishes, Veggies

Oi Kimchi (Cucumber Kimchi)

July 3, 2020

Here in Hawaii, we have a melting pot of cuisines. One dish we all enjoy is the Korean specialty: kimchi. A favorite version of ours is is spicy cucumber kimchi, the perfect accompaniment to rice and Korean barbecued beef. If you want to keep your meal vegetarian, skip the beef and serve the kimchi with rice and grilled teriyaki tofu. And, if you don’t have time to fire up the grill, a bowl of steaming Japanese rice, white or brown will do just fine. This is a quick and tasty side dish.

Japanese cucumbers are best for this recipe as they are extra crisp and have very few seeds.

There are many varieties of kimchi (hundreds by some accounts) but one of the things they all have in common is gochugaru, Korean chili flakes. This is the chili that I cook with most often. Gochugaru has a smoky, sweet flavor, gorgeous deep red color and gentle heat. It’s widely available on line and in local Asian markets.

Julienned carrots add color and flavor to the cucumber kimchi. If you don’t have chives you may substitute them with slender green onions.

The cucumbers for this recipe are cut into baton shaped pieces which I find is the perfect size. This recipe will keep for a good 3-4 days and the cucumbers will retain their crunchy texture.

Serve the kimchi with your favorite grilled meat or tofu and steamed Japanese rice.

Oi Kimchi (Cucumber Kimchi)

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 Japanese cucumbers (about 1 pound) cut into batons, about 2-inches long
1 scant tablespoon kosher salt
¼ cup julienned carrots
5 chives, cut into 1½-inch pieces
Sauce:
1 tablespoon gochugaru
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
½ teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon finely grated apple, drained
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar (unseasoned)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
dash of fish sauce (optional)
roasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Trim the ends of the cucumbers. Cut into 2-inch long pieces. Cut each piece in half lengthwise, then into 4 even batons (sticks). Place the cucumber pieces in a colander and toss with a scant tablespoon of kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal). Place the colander over a bowl to catch any drips and set a timer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Gently pat the cucumbers dry without removing all of the salt. Transfer the cucumbers to a wide bowl along with the carrots and chives, and toss with the sauce. I use disposable gloves to mix the cucumbers with the sauce which helps to coat every piece evenly. Transfer to a clean bowl and chill until ready to serve.

Japanese Cucumber

Aunty Ruby’s Somen Salad