somen salad

it's january. we're in the midst of winter. the average high for this time of year is 49 degrees F/9.5 degrees C. it's the least likely time to crave the cool deliciousness that is a somen salad.

i blame the recent emergence of spring-like weather for my somen salad craving. it's been sunny and warm, the perfect weather for a cool noodley salad. surely the cold weather will return, but for now, i think i'll put away my winter coat and enjoy me some somen salad.

if you're not familiar with somen salad, let me take a moment to introduce you. somen salad is made up of cold somen noodles, a variety of vegetables, usually one or more types of protein, and a sweet-soy-sesame dressing. in hawaii, it's popular as a side dish (especially at potlucks) or light meal but it can easily be elevated to entree status with the addition of more protein or vegetables.

ingredients:
dressing
6 T soy sauce
4 T sugar
3 T rice vinegar
3 T lemon juice
3 T vegetable or canola oil
1 t sesame oil

salad
8-10 oz of somen noodles (depending on the brand and package size)
1 bunch of green onions, thinly sliced at a diagonal
1 c lettuce leaves, sliced thinly
3 oz thin sliced deli smoked ham, thinly sliced into ribbons
1 sheet nori (roasted seaweed), torn or cut into small strips
2 eggs

additional toppings that you can use:

• cucumber, seeded and cut into half-moons or matchsticks
• shredded chicken
• kaiware (daikon sprouts) 
• kamaboko (japanese fish cake), this is used in traditional somen salads, but i didn't have time to drive to the japanese market today.
• carrots, shredded or cut into matchsticks
• char siu (chinese-style roasted pork), thinly sliced
• anything you want...it's a versatile salad :)

directions:

1. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Scramble the eggs and pour them into the skillet. Do not touch them as they cook. Our goal here is to cook the eggs in a single sheet. Once the egg is cooked almost all the way through (the center will still be a tad bit runny), gentle flip the egg. If you can, do an in-the-air-back-into-the-pan flip (I can't.) If you're like me, use a spatula and a fork, chopstick, whatever you need, to flip the egg without breaking it apart. Let if finish cooking the runny center (less than a minute) and remove the egg to a plate to cool. Once cooled, cut into matchsticks.
2. Arrange the eggs, ham, green onions, lettuce and other toppings on a plate or in small bowls so that everyone can assemble their own salad.
3. Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk until sugar is dissolved. 
4. Cook somen noodles according to package instructions. (if directions are in japanese, and you don't read japanese: boil water, add noodles, and check noodles after 2 minutes. Noodles are done when they are firm but not crunchy. Drain and cool with cold water).
5. Put individual portions of cooked and cooled noodles into bowls.
6. Serve bowls of noodles and have everyone add their own toppings and dressing.

serves 8 as a starter or side dish; 4 as an entree (recommend adding chicken if serving as an entree).

for a potluck dish, double the recipe. once noodles are cooled, form individual portions to make serving easier. to do this, grab a small handful of noodles. hold the noodles between your index finger and thumb, wrap the noodles around your finger and thumb to form a ball. or create your own technique to form a noodle ball. place noodle balls in a single layer on the bottom of a serving dish (9x13 casserole dishes work well). or if noodle balls aren't your thing, just dump the noodles in the bottom of a serving dish and cut the noodles so they are easier to pick up. once the noodles are in, layer on the toppings. serve the dressing on the side.