Somen Dipping Sauce Recipe

mirin

🥗Healthier: rice vinegar

💰Cheaper: sugar + water

Rice vinegar provides acidity without added sugar.

dashi

🥗Healthier: kombu broth

💰Cheaper: vegetable broth

Kombu broth maintains umami flavor with fewer calories.

sugar

🥗Healthier: stevia

💰Cheaper: honey

Stevia reduces calories while sweetening.

wasabi

🥗Healthier: horseradish

💰Cheaper: mustard

Horseradish offers similar heat at a lower price.

Prepare the somen noodles by unwrapping two bundles, which are typically 50 grams each.

For the dipping sauce, add 1 cup of dashi stock, 4 tablespoons of Usukuchi soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sake, and 1 teaspoon of sugar to a pot.

Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute to burn off the alcohol from the sake and soy sauce.

Remove the pot from heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature.

Prepare the condiments: stack green shiso leaves, roll them up, trim off the stems, and slice into thin threads.

Slice myoga in half and then thinly against the grain.

Grate some ginger.

Once the sauce is cooled, divide it into two or three portions into cups.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil for the somen noodles.

Set a timer for 3 minutes and drop the somen noodles into the boiling water, stirring to prevent sticking.

Keep an eye on the noodles to prevent boiling over; drain them into a strainer when the timer goes off.

Run cold water over the noodles immediately, then transfer them back into the pot and chill in a few changes of water while swishing them around to wash off excess starch.

Drain the noodles and transfer them to a bowl, filling it with enough water to submerge the somen and adding a few ice cubes to chill further.

Garnish the noodles with herbs to evoke Summer.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens