Chinese-Style Summer Soba

Hiyashi Chuuka, or chilled Chinese noodles, is an extremely popular dish in Japan during the summer months, and beginning from May you see all the noodle shops and convenience stores advertising it. Typically, it contains sliced ham and eggs and Chinese ramen noodles.

We prefer to use soba noodles made entirely (100%) from soba flour–called “jyuu-wari”–if you can find them. You might be surprised to know that most soba noodles have less than 10 percent soba flour, and the rest is wheat flour.

Serves 2 persons.

Ingredients:

Sauce
50ml soy sauce
30ml rice vinegar
1 T mirin
1/2T sesame oil
Chili paste or Raiyuu (chili oil) to taste
Soba and Vegetables
200g soba noodles
1 cucumber, sliced thinly diagonally, then stack slices and slice again in long thin strips
1 bitter gourd/melon (goya), sliced thinly
*If you cannot find bitter gourd, you can use snow peas (parboil first, then slice diagonally in about 1/2 inch pieces)
bean sprouts (moyashi)
1/2 tomato, sliced
1 inch Naganegi (make an incision in the center to remove soft green core, and cut thinly like julienne strips, then soak in water for 20 minutes)
Additional ingredients (to taste)
Fresh coriander (if available)
Zasai (kind of Chinese pickles)
Chinese pepper (powder)

Method:

In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, and sesame oil
Boil noodles according to instructions, drain, and cool down in cool water (use iced water in hot weather), replacing water until the heat is removed from soba, then drain one more time.
Parboil the bitter gourd (or snow peas) and bean sprouts in salted water for 1 minute, then drain
In a large bowl, mix bitter gourd, sprouts, cucumber, soba, coriander and sauce
Arrange tomato slices around the edge of a plate, then pile the noodle and vegetable mixture. Top with Zasai and thinly sliced green onions (refer to photo). Add Chinese pepper to taste.

1. Lo 22 April 2011 at 21:58

   

   It looks delicious! You know what? Today at lunch I cooked soba and I was thinking about a cold version that I once had in a Japanese restaurant! 😀

   
   
2. EleonoraNW3 23 April 2011 at 09:28

   

   This soba looks delicious! I love the list of the ingredients you used, as 20% of them are completely unknown here 🙂

   
   
3. TokyoVegan 23 April 2011 at 09:42

   

   Sorry to hear that. When we visited Hawaii in December (for running Honolulu Marathon) we found it difficult to get some ingredients, even with all the Japanese/Asians living there! 100% soba flour noodles were expensive, too! Hopefully, there is some local vegetable that can be substituted.
   William

   
   
4. EleonoraNW3 23 April 2011 at 09:46

   

   Hi Tokyo! I wasn’t complaining at all about that, I find it very exciting really! I mean it’s a good thing, it’s like travelling really, you don’t have to be sorry 🙂 It’s good!

   
   
5. TokyoVegan 23 April 2011 at 10:18

   

   In that case, have fun hunting for the ingredients and improvising!
   Happy Easter!