Somen (Cold Noodles) for Two

• Dipping sauce
• sesame oil↗2 tablespoons
• soy sauce↗1 tablespoon
• asian red peppers↗2

  minced

• dashi↗3 tablespoons

  tsuyu, a cold noodle dipping sauce works best

• lime juice↗1 cup

  freshly squeezed, I used the juice of a local citrus, shikwasa

• Dip Items
• avocado↗1

  sliced

• cucumber↗1⁄2

  julienned

• frozen shrimp↗1 cup

  shells removed

• kamaboko3⁄4 cup

  julienned

• pickled ginger↗2 tablespoons
• scallions↗2 tablespoons

  chopped

• nori↗5 sheets

  dried seaweed sheets, julienned

• pasta↗140 g

  somen is best for this recipe

• Additional items
• cups ice4

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Combine sesame oil, soy sauce, red peppers, tsuyu, and lime juice.

2. 2

   Mix well and refrigerate.

3. 3

   Chop and plate dipping items on a platter.

4. 4

   Steam shrimp.

5. 5

   Prepare somen according to directions (takes about 3 minutes once water is boiling).

6. 6

   Rinse under cold water in a strainer.

7. 7

   Place in a large bowl of ice.

8. 8

   Serve with platter and dipping sauce.

9. 9

   To eat, simply place a small quantity (about 1/5 cup) sauce in a small bowl or medium size glass and add the noodles and other ingredients.

10. 10

    ***Reserve some of the dipping sauce for occasionally refreshing the dipping vessel fluid, which becomes slightly diluted from the noodle liquid.