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Somen Salad

Image of somen salad. Two weekends ago (when it was hot, hot, hot), a craving for cold somen salad hit. Unfortunately, I didn’t have all the necessary ingredients and was too lazy to venture out of the house to get them. So I made the summery side this past Sunday, after procuring some provisions at Nijiya Market.

Somen salad is a popular Hawaiian dish that consists of three components:

  1. Thin wheat flour noodles
  2. Assorted toppings, such as eggs, fresh veggies and kamaboko
  3. A sweet and savory dressing

Growing up, my mom prepared somen salad for big gatherings, like picnics and potlucks with family friends. (Note: Her version features shredded iceberg lettuce in lieu of carrot and cucumber, as well as chopped char siu and ham.) I always looked forward to eating it.

But you needn’t wait for a special occasion to try the recipe! Somen salad is quick and easy to assemble and keeps well for days.

Close-up image of somen salad.

Somen Salad
 
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Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Dressing:
  • 2 tablespoons safflower or vegetable oil
  • 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
Salad:
  • 1 teaspoon safflower or vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 bundles somen (3.5 ounces each)
  • 3 ounces kamaboko (Japanese fish cake), cut into thin matchsticks
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
  • 1 cucumber, seeds removed and cut into thin matchsticks
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
Make the dressing:
  1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake vigorously until emulsified.
Make the salad:
  1. In a 10-inch nonstick fry pan, heat safflower or vegetable oil over medium heat. Add eggs and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook, without stirring, until set, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the egg "pancake" to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut the pancake in half and then into ¼"-wide strips. Set aside.
  2. Prepare a medium bowl of ice water and set aside.
  3. Cook somen according to package directions. Drain and transfer to the prepared ice bath to cool. Drain somen and transfer to a large bowl. Add half of the dressing and toss gently to combine.
  4. Divide and arrange dressed somen, sliced eggs, kamaboko, carrot and cucumber among four plates.
  5. Garnish with green onions and serve with remaining dressing.

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