Ingredients
- Somen noodles
- 1/2 cup ‘Obento’ sake
- 1 1/8 cup ‘Obento’ mirin
- 1 cup soy
- 1 piece dried kelp
- 1 cup dried bonito flakes
- 50 g okra boiled and sliced
- Lebanese cucumber sliced thinly
- Scrambled omelette sliced thinly
- Shallot diced thinly
- Carrot sliced thinly
- Firm tofu sliced thinly
- Scallions sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger
- sliced ‘Obento’ Yaki Nori
- Cherry tomatoes
Method
- Simmer soy sauce, mirin, kelp and Bonito and sake for five minutes. Once done strain bonito from sauce (‘mentsuyu’) and cool. *Mentsuyu can also be purchased at selected Asian stores but I like making my own to connect with some mindful cooking.
- Slice the rest of the ingredients and present nicely on a platter. You can tear or also slice ‘Yaki nori’ served on the side.
- Boil somen for three minutes and cool in ice cold water. Serve somen in a bowl of ice and water and side of ‘mentsuyu’.
- I call this ‘natsubate somen (夏バテそうめん) because I struggle to eat in the summer heat and dish is refreshing and healthy. The DIY element of being able to pick your own toppings is also a real winner for my kids and you can be creative and pretty much add any vegetable, sliced meats and maybe even some fruits if you are daring!
Product used in recipe
- Obento - Yaki Nori For Sushi
- Obento - Mirin Seasoning
- Obento - Cooking Sake
