③Somen Noodles

Somen is one of my favorite noodles.
In summer, I eat somen once a week.
The reason somen frequently appears in my meal rotation is that it’s easy to cook, suits any appetite, and its unique texture, not like any other noodles.

Somen is made of flour and water, just like udon, but the thickness and how to make is different. Somen is much thinner than udon, just as mechanical pencil lead. While udon is made by cutting the flat dough with knife, somen is made by stretching twisting the dough coated by oil.

This is the typical step of how to prepare somen:
① Buy one package of somen noodles. It’s enough for 2 to 4 people. You can purchase at any supermarket, or even at convenience store.

② Make hot water in a pot. Once water is boiled, put 1 or 2 bundles of somen. One bundle is supposed to be for one person, but I usually make 2 bundles.

③ Boil somen noodle for 2-3 minutes (it depends on the product, so please check the package). Then set the stainer bowl in the sink, pour somen noodle with hot water into the stainer, and wash the somen noodle with cold water.

④ When some become cold, drain water and put somen to the plate.

⑤ Prepare “Mentsuyu” (Japanese liquid base made from soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and dashi. It’s so useful and applicable for any Japanese dish, so you should buy one bottle), water, and some other toppings if you like. Recommendations are green onion, ginger paste, shiso leaves, and myoga.

⑥ Put Mentsuyu, water, and other ingredients in any rice bowl-sized vessel and make a dipping sauce. Then you just dip somen noodles into the sauce and enjoy somen!

Somen noodles are very popular among Japanese people, especially in summer, because it’s light and refreshing.

Also, you can enjoy hot version of somen, which is called “Nyumen.” You just put boiled somen to warm dashi broth soup, just like udon soup.

Beat the heat with somen noodles and make it through the hot summer!

Find Somen Place around Yokosuka