RECIPE: Chicken and Seaweed Mixed Cold Noodles

A classic summertime dish, these mixed cold noodles feature juicy chunks of chicken and the refreshing crunch of seasonal vegetables alongside delicate strands of somen noodles. Served with a light yet flavorful soup that is subtly sweetened with amazake, this is the perfect meal for a hot summer day. 

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

• 50g somen (or udon) noodles*

• 100g (3.5 oz) chicken breast

• ⅓ cucumber

• 2 cherry tomatoes

• 1 bunch mizuna (Japanese mustard greens) (can substitute with boiled spinach)

• 2-3g (~¼ of package) dried Hokkaido Seaweed Salad (rehydrated)

• Pinch of toasted sesame seeds

• Kimuchi (optional)*

• Japanese pickles (optional)*

Mixed Noodle Soup Base:

• 120ml ( ½ cup) Amazake (Sweet Fermented Rice Drink)

• 100ml (~½ cup) water

• 1 Tbsp All-Purpose Mentsuyu (Noodle Soup Base)

• 2-3 pinches of salt

• ½ tsp grated garlic

Instructions:

1. Cut the chicken breast diagonally into 3 equal pieces. 

2. Add soup base ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, add the chicken and wait until it returns to a boil. Turn off the heat and let it sit for about 3 mins. The residual heat will finish cooking the chicken and keep it juicy. 

3. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. Once cooled, shred by hand into bite-sized pieces. Once the pot has cooled, set the soup base in the fridge to finish cooling. 

4. Chop the mizuna (or boiled spinach) into 5cm long pieces. Cut the cucumber into long, thin strips and chop the cherry tomatoes in half.

5. Cook somen (or udon) noodles according to package instructions, rinse with cold water, and drain well before moving to a bowl.

6. Arrange the chicken, prepared vegetables, and rehydrated Hokkaido Seaweed Salad on top of the cooled somen noodles along with the optional kimuchi and Japanese pickles. Add the chilled soup base and finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.