Susan Jung’s Japanese cold noodles with dipping sauce
Easy to make and versatile, cold noodles are a great sharing dish for hot days
When I was growing up in California, our Japanese neighbours would often invite us over on hot days for a lunch of cold noodles. Although ethnically Japanese, the family hailed from Hawaii, and therefore had a more casual approach to meals than people raised in Japan, but still, it was always an impressive spread. In the centre of the table would be a huge bowl of noodles in ice water, from which we would help ourselves. We’d have individual cups of dipping sauce, and there would be an array of ingredients – minced negi (Japanese leeks), nori, pickled vegetables and strips of cold meats and egg omelette – that we added to our bowls or ate alongside the noodles.
Japanese cold noodles with dipping sauce
Japanese noodles often come in small bundles of 100 grams, which the producers consider to be the correct serving size. That’s enough for some people, but those with heartier appetites can eat much more, so cook the appropriate amount for your guests.
If I’m dining alone, I keep the accompaniments simple: fresh wasabi (I store the root in the freezer and grate it as needed), chopped negi, shredded nori, and whatever ingredients I can find in the fridge. But if I’m serving others, I make a little more effort: small portions of sea urchin and/or ikura (salmon roe), fresh soybeans (boiled in their pods in salted water), home-made pickles (including Korean kimchi), cold beancurd (like the recipe I gave a few weeks ago, but without the century egg and pork floss) and a salad of cherry tomatoes in a flavourful dressing.