Somen noodles with salmon and vegetables
Getting back into good habits and my interest in Japanese cuisine, today I bring you a very complete recipe that could bring anyone back to life.
In case anyone doesn’t know yet, somen noodles are a very thin wheat flour pasta used in Japanese cuisine. They have a smaller diameter than traditional spaghetti—less than 1.3 mm—and are whiter in color. Slightly thicker ones are called hiyamugi, and the thickest are known as udon. While in summer they are usually served cold, lightly seasoned with broth or sauce, in winter they are eaten in hot soup (nyumen).
So far, so good… basic information covered. The most interesting and curious part is that in some restaurants they are served hanging from a long bamboo pole, and you have to grab them with chopsticks, dip them into the broth, and eat them. My skill level hasn’t even reached the point of picking them up from my own bowl yet, but like most things in life, it must be a matter of interest and practice—so let’s get to it!
Ingredients for 2 people
100 g somen noodles
2 fresh salmon fillets
2 carrots
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
6 spring onions
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon warm water
2 sprigs of cilantro
Preparation
Cut the salmon into long strips of about 2 cm x 1 cm x 5 cm. Mix the soy sauce, mirin, grated ginger, the tablespoon of water, and sugar, and marinate the salmon in a glass or plastic container with a lid for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Peel and cut the carrots into diagonal sticks. Soak the mushrooms in warm water for about 15 minutes, and slice the spring onions diagonally. Once the mushrooms are hydrated, drain them by squeezing with your hands and cut them into strips. Set these three ingredients aside.
Bring water to a boil in a pot large enough for the somen noodles and cook them for about 4–5 minutes, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and place them in a colander to remove excess water.
Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a pan and add the salmon strips once hot, reserving the marinade. Fry for about 3–4 minutes on each side until cooked through.
While the salmon is cooking, heat the other tablespoon of sesame oil in a large pan or wok and add the carrots, spring onions, and shiitake mushrooms. Reduce to medium heat and add the reserved marinade. Cover with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Add the somen noodles and gently mix so they don’t break, until the vegetables are evenly distributed.
Serve the noodle and vegetable mixture and place the salmon pieces on top. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
Notes
You can substitute the salmon with fresh tuna—it works beautifully as well.