← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp Soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 3 tbsp Water
• 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil
• ½ tsp Ginger, finely grated
• 2 Eggs
• 1 pinch Sugar
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 tsp Vegetable oil
• 1 Cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
• 1 Tomato, cut into thin wedges
• 4 slices Ham, cut into thin strips
• 4 Crab sticks (kanikama), shredded
• 300 g fresh ramen noodles (2 portions)
• 1 tsp Sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp Pickled red ginger (beni shoga) (optional)
• hot mustard (karashi), to serve (optional)

Method

1. Stir the dressing ingredients until the sugar dissolves, then chill it.
2. Beat the eggs with the pinch of sugar and salt. Wipe a non-stick pan with the oil and cook thin omelettes over low heat, about 1 minute each, until set but not browned. Let them cool, roll up and slice into fine ribbons.
3. Prepare the cucumber, tomato, ham and crab sticks, keeping each one in its own pile.
4. Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water following the packet, usually 2–3 min. Drain, rinse under cold running water, then swish in iced water until cold. Drain very well.
5. Pile the noodles in the centre of two wide plates and arrange the toppings in neat rows or fans on top.
6. Pour the dressing over just before eating and finish with sesame seeds, pickled ginger and a dab of mustard.

Tips

• Swap ham and crab for shredded poached chicken, tofu or bean sprouts; the dressing is the star.
• Crab sticks contain fish and often wheat and egg.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Just One Cookbook RecipeTin Japan Japanese Cooking 101