Recipe Cold Somen Salad

[kaneohegirlinaz]

Cold Somen Salad

3 servings

Salad Ingredients:

½ of a package of Somen Noodles (6 oz.)
1 C. Lettuce, shredded
½ C. each, Carrots, Char Siu or Chinese BBQ Pork, Kamaboko or Steamed Fish Cake, all julienne
1 C. Hot House Cucumbers, julienne
1 Egg
1 pinch each, Dashi Powder and granulated Sugar
2 stalks of Green Onion, sliced finely
1 tsp. Sesame Seeds

Dressing Ingredients:

⅓ C. Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp. each Soy Sauce, granulated Sugar, Sesame Oil
1/2 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar

Instructions:

Prepare the Noodles, following the directions on the package; rinse under cold running water, drain well and set aside in the `fridge.

Beat the Egg along with the Dashi Powder and Sugar. Cook up as a flat omelet, cool and julienne finely; set aside in the refrigerator.

Heat the Broth in the microwave for 30 seconds or less, just enough to dissolve the sugar.

Combine all of the Dressing ingredients in a tightly sealing jar; set aside, you got it, in the cold box.

I like to make individual salads, but you can combine all of the above as one big Family-style salad and let everyone serve themselves. Dress your salads just before serving though.

Now this is just how I do it, you put yours together how you feel is best. I like to start with the shredded Lettuce in a bowl, with the Noodles next; then artfully arrange all of the “goodies” on top of that.

When your ready to eat this gorgeous looking creation, spoon the Dressing over the top and combine everything well. I find that using my hands works best, but it’s up to you.

This is quite a refreshing salad and it’s also surprisingly filling.

The toppings of the salad can be whatever your family craves. What about Shrimp (I did add some steamed Shrimp to this bowl ) or Crab; some folks use cooked Spam®, Deli Ham, Cilantro, Mung Bean Sprouts, or even go Vegetarian and use Tofu — you decide.

*Cook's Note: This time around, I used a combo of White and Black Sesame Seeds.

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

SatNavSaysStraightOn this is a great base for a Veg/Vegan Salad, the Noodles take on what flavors you add.
This is a very popular dish in Hawaii and many folks there have been mainly plant-based eaters or Pescatarian ... meat is exceeding expensive.

 

[medtran49]

Looks great. It would be a great dinner for a summer night, especially here. Are the red and white things radishes?

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

Looks great. It would be a great dinner for a summer night, especially here. Are the red and white things radishes?

That's Kamaboko or steamed Japanese Fish Cake, found in most Asian Markets, very similar to Surimi.
Really, you could top this salad with whatever you like. Go all veg with maybe some Tofu or Tempeh for a protein factor.
The steamed Shrimp was very tasty this go-around. I think that canned, drained Clams would good too.
This makes for a very satisfying meal.

 

[Morning Glory]

What a great colourful salad.

That's Kamaboko or steamed Japanese Fish Cake, found in most Asian Markets, very similar to Surimi.

Surimi get a bad press as its seen as 'fake' seafood. Personally I rather like it, though. Kamaboko I've never seen before. Maybe its not available in the UK?

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

What a great colourful salad.

Surimi get a bad press as its seen as 'fake' seafood. Personally I rather like it, though. Kamaboko I've never seen before. Maybe its not available in the UK?

GEEZ, I kinda messed up this post, but here we go anyways ...

Morning Glory , so here's a challenge for you - I looked up Asian Markets in your neck of the woods and I see a couple.
See if you can find Kamaboko.

We like it just as is and then dip it in a mixture of Soy Sauce and Wasabi, MMM!

Or in your bowl of Ramen!

 

[Morning Glory]

@Morning Glory , so here's a challenge for you - I looked up Asian Markets in your neck of the woods and I see a couple.
See if you can find Kamaboko.

I don't go to shops any more - all shopping is on-line for me due to Covid. But to my knowledge there are no Asian (Japanese) shops in Maidstone. I can source it on-line from the Japan centre in London. Meanwhile I was inspired to order some surimi in my next supermarket on-line delivery.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

SatNavSaysStraightOn this is a great base for a Veg/Vegan Salad, the Noodles take on what flavors you add.

I'm not so certain. It seems that there is a lot to change. A lot of the flavour is fish based and I'm also not certain on how omitting Dashi Powder would affect the taste. Dashi powder contains katsuobushi which is dried aged tuna as well as kombu which is a type of kelp and MSG. Maybe it's a British thing, but like MG, I don't do MSG. Online, it says to substitute Dashi with chicken broth, so that won't work either. The most obvious vegan substitue for Dashi would just be nori flakes...

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

I'm not so certain. It seems that there is a lot to change. A lot of the flavour is fish based and I'm also not certain on how omitting Dashi Powder would affect the taste. Dashi powder contains katsuobushi which is dried aged tuna as well as kombu which is a type of kelp and MSG. Maybe it's a British thing, but like MG, I don't do MSG. Online, it says to substitute Dashi with chicken broth, so that won't work either. The most obvious vegan substitue for Dashi would just be nori flakes...

SNSSO, you could always omit the Dashi & Sugar in the Egg Omelet and sub the Chicken Broth for Veggie.
As to the toppings, that is totally customizable, cook's choice.
Here's how I look at recipes, they're simply someone else's idea, you take it and make it your own ... run with it!

 

[JAS_OH1]

SatNavSaysStraightOn this is a great base for a Veg/Vegan Salad, the Noodles take on what flavors you add.
This is a very popular dish in Hawaii and many folks there have been mainly plant-based eaters or Pescatarian ... meat is exceeding expensive.

If I lived somewhere that seafood was so readily accessible, fresh, and delicious, I wouldn't bother eating any kind of meat often, regardless of price. I was mostly a pescatarian (a few years vegetarian) when I lived in Florida in a coastal community (most of my years until I reached the age of 36).

I really like your recipe!

 

[karadekoolaid]

Here´s a question for you, kaneohegirlinaz.
Is the sensation of cold noodles unusual in the salad, or is it something you´ve got accustomed to?
Just asking - I´ve never eaten a cold somen salad, or indeed a poke bowl, but it´s something I may well do in the next few weeks.

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

Here´s a question for you, kaneohegirlinaz.
Is the sensation of cold noodles unusual in the salad, or is it something you´ve got accustomed to?
Just asking - I´ve never eaten a cold somen salad, or indeed a poke bowl, but it´s something I may well do in the next few weeks.

All components of this salad should be served cold.

Kara, for me, it's the contrast of textured in the dish.
The crunch from the shredded Lettuce
All those 'goodies' on top
The noodles are soft, but not mushy, ya know?
And then the dressing, tossing it all together, I even toss as I'm plowing through this salad, just so that the dressing doesn't all fall to the bottom of the bowl.
Yes, a bowl is best, but then we do prefer all of our salads in a bowl, keeps everything well contained and not flying off a plate on to the table... it can get messy at our table
Do let me know if you do try this dish, it's very satisfying.

Now Poke Bowls are also very customizable.
They don't need to be made with raw seafood either.
I had made up a batch of Kalua Pork, Lomi Lomi Salmon and Ahi Poke, that had been dinner the night prior.

I took some of the leftovers, put them on a bed of steamed White Rice and took it over to Mister Next-Door Neighbor to sample.
The only thing raw was the Tuna.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I see that I'm not the only one getting a poke vibe from this recipe. The big difference is that poke should be served with the rice hot and the other elements cold; I'm not sure if hot noodles would work here. But, I do like the way this all comes together.

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

I see that I'm not the only one getting a poke vibe from this recipe. The big difference is that poke should be served with the rice hot and the other elements cold; I'm not sure if hot noodles would work here. But, I do like the way this all comes together.

Not necessarily The Late Night Gourmet , the Poke bowl that I made in the photo above has cold and hot elements to it: Cold-Ahi Poke & Lomi Lomi Salmon; Hot-Kalua Pig. They work well together.
Oh man! Now I wanna eat that!

But as to the Cold Somen Salad, all elements should be served cold.
I've made this dish in a huge aluminum roasting pan for pot lucks home in Hawaii, and it's just left out. it will come to room temp. Of course, you'd want to refrigerate any leftovers before it got too warm.