Chilled Somen Noodles & Sauce

Categories: Japanese, Noodles, Vegetables, Sauces, Tofu
Yield: 4 Servings




4 oz Shiitake mushrooms
8 oz Asparagus trimmed
4 oz Sugar snap peas
3 tb Sesame seeds toasted
2 ts Sesame oil
3 tb Soy sauce
2/3 c Cilantro leaves chopped
3 tb Mirin a.k.a. rice wine vinegar
1 ea Somen noodles pkg 8.8 oz.
1 1/2 oz Enoki mushrooms trimmed
3 ea Scallions
1 oz Shiso or mint leaves
6 oz Silken tofu cubed 1"
1 ea 2" piece of ginger peeled & julienned

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Set nearby a large bowl of ice water ready to cool your vegetables.
Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms then blanch for 20 secs.
Put mushrooms into ice wate r then transfer to a small bowl when cool.
Repeat this process with your asparagus & sugar snap peas.
Blanch your asparagus for 1 min. & your peas for 2 mins. until bright green but still crunchy.
Thinly slice scallions green part diagonally then julienne white part then set aside.
Crush your sesame seeds in a mortar with your pestle until they are almost a powder.
Combine in a small bowl with sesame oil,
soy sauce, cilantro & mirin.
Toss your shiitake mushrooms with 2 ts of this sesame oil mixture.
Divide remaining sesame oil mixture among 4 small dipping bowls.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
Add your somen noodles then cook for 4-5 mins. until tender but still firm.
Drain noodles in a fine sieve then rinse with cold water to stop them cooking.
Divide these noodles among 4 serving bowls then put a small handful of ice cubes into each bowl to keep noodles chilled.
Arrange your remaining ingredients in various serving dishes.

ORIGIN: Keiko Matsumura, Honolulu-HI, circa 1996