Chilled Chinese Noodles(Hiyashi-Chuka)

Hiyashi-Chuka are Chinese egg(ramen) noodles served cold with a refreshing vinegary sauce and topped julienned egg, ham, and cucumbers. This is a light, refreshing dish popular in the heat of summer, healthy and invigorating. Other alternative toppings include wakame seaweed or tomatoes.

Serves 4      460 cal./serving




Ingredients:

• 4 portions fresh chukamen, Chinese egg noodles, 4-1/2 oz./130g each(or angel hair pasta)
• 1 bag bean sprouts (9 oz./250g)
• 2 eggs
• salt
• vegetable oil
• 2 cucumbers
• 6 slices ham
• sliced tomatoes(optional)
• wakame seaweed(optional)

Chuka Sauce

• 6 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 5 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil

Condiments:

• pickled red ginger, benishoga(optional)
• mustard(optional)
• roasted white sesame seeds(optional)

Directions:

1. Blanch bean sprouts briefly in salted boiling water until soft. Drain and set aside.
2. Beat eggs with a little salt seasoning. Heat oil in a frying pan and pour 1/4 of the egg mixture, spreading as thin as possible over the whole pan. Remove the egg sheet and fold in half on the cutting board. repeat with rest of mixture. Place all folded sheets on top of another and cut everything into thin strips. This is the traditional way to cook the egg in Japan. However, it's fine to just scramble the eggs and cut into thin strips.
3. Julienne all the cucumbers into thin, matchstick size pieces.
4. Cut ham into thin strips.
5. Cook noodles according to packet instructions, Rinse several times in cold water.
6. Serve noodles on individual plates, topped with bean sprouts, cucumber, egg, and ham. Adding some sliced tomato or wakame on top is great, too. If desired, serve with pickled red ginger, sesame seeds and place a dab of mustard on the corner of each plate. Finally, pour sauce over the top and eat.