Recipe: Hiyashi Chuka (Cold sesame ramen salad)

It's mid Summer here in San Francisco and the heat is turning everyone to cool salad dishes. One of my Seasonal favourites is this cold salad ramen dish. You can top it with just about any leftovers or vegetables you have in the fridge!

Hiyashi Chuka (Cold sesame ramen salad)

Noodle salad:

1 pack of fresh ramen noodles 

1 boiled egg

1/4 cup diced ham or chicken

1/4 cup julienne carrot

1/4 cup julienne cucumber

1/4 cup sweet corn

2 tbspn benishoga pickled red ginger

Dressing:

3 tbspn Japanese rice vinegar 

2 tbspn soy sauce 

2 tbspn sugar 

2 tspn sesame oil

Method

• Buy good quality fresh wheat ramen noodles at your local Asian supermarket like Sun noodles "instant ramen" style noodles will not do this justice
• Follow the instructions on the noodle packet - generally boiling in water for 2 mins until al dente is enough
• Pour your noodles into a strainer and rinse with cold water, this cools the noodles as well as removing the starch.

• You can prepare the noodles early and cool in the fridge but if you do this you should sprinkle with a half tbspn of sesame oil and then shake the oil through the noodles so they do not stick together. 
• In a small jar mix the dressing ingredients - vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. If you cannot find rice vinegar white vinegar  will work as a substitute

• Dice your salad vegetables and cold meat and slice your egg
• You can use whatever you have in the fridge - cold meat, vegetables and pickles. This combination of egg, meat, cucumber, corn, carrot and Japanese pickled ginger (benishoga) & eggplant (shibazuke) are classic.
• For a vegetarian / vegan adaptation omit the meat and egg and replace with firm silken tofu and more veges. 
• Lay the noodles into a shallow bowl and then arrange the salad ingredients on top - using contrasting colours adds to the effect
• Serve the dressing on the side so that the diners can add at the last minute - this ensures the noodles stay chewy and the salad ingredients crisp and fresh
• Serve with your favourite sushi and a cold drink!