Somen

Somen Noodles

su - rice wine vinegarChilled somen noodles have long been the cure for weak appetites during Japan’s steamy summer months.

Somen is made from a mellowed flour and salt water dough that is thinly stretched and then allowed to dry. Somen is thinner than udon and ramen noodles. Somen is enjoyed by dipping the noodles into mentsuyu, which is soup stock and soy sauce flavored with leeks, sesame, perilla, wasabi or ginger. Mentsuyu is easy to make, but there are also many pre-made products on the market that allow you to make mentsuyu by just adding water.

Nagashi somen (flowing somen) is very popular in the summer. The somen is put in cool water flowing along a long bamboo chute. Customers pluck the somen out of the chute with their chopsticks, dip it in a broth and then slurp up this cool and refreshing treat. During the winter months somen is enjoyed in steaming bowls of soup.

After somen noodles have been boiled they are placed on a bamboo sieve, washed with water by hand and then the water is removed. This is done to remove the vegetable oils that were added during the production process. Somen needs to be stored in a dry location not exposed to direct sunlight. Somen easily attracts odors and so should not be used together with other foods that have strong smells. Somen is a preserved food and so can be enjoyed for up to two years after purchase provided that is carefully stored.

Soubeeya Co., Ltd.

Soubeeya is a company started by a collective of master noodle makers to preserve and promote the tradition of the delicious thin noodles of Shimabara. For quality assurance a photo of the master who produced the noodle is printed on the front of the package and his personal code number is printed inside the paper band wrapped around each bundle of noodles. The name of the quality control inspector is printed on the back of each package.

Shimabara Tenobe Somen

Each master noodle maker makes the noodles by hand using traditional techniques that have been handed down over 350 years, with carefully selected premium ingredients. Through rigorous temperature control, we achieve the same texture and taste as noodles that are rested for a longer time in special rooms before being stretched.

Recipe

Cold somen salad
Ingredients: (serves 4)
Somen ................ 7 oz
Mentsuyu (Japanese noodle soup concentrate ) ............ 300 ml
Gelatin ................................0.2 oz
Chicken breast...............1
Tomato ............................1
Egg ..................................1
Sake, Salt, Sesame oil to taste

How to cook

1. Pour mentsuyu in a small pan and bring to a boil. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved; cool in a refrigerator.
2. Place chicken in a microwavable dish and season with sake and salt. Cook chicken in a microwave ove, and tear into small strips.
3. Slice the Tomato, and soft boil the egg.
4. Boil water in a large pot and cook somen noodle for 1.5 minutes. Drain noodle and wash with cold water.
5. Place somen noodle on a plate and arrange the egg and tomato on top. Sprinkle with crumbled mentsuyu gelatin (1) and sesame oil to taste.

Contact Information
Soubeeya Co., Ltd.
3748 Hei, Kitaarima-cho, Minamishimabara City, Nagasaki, 859-2303, Japan
tel: +81-0957-65-7111
fax: +81-0957-65-7110
e-mail: kuroda@sobey.co.jp
website: www.sobey.co.jp
contact : Fumitoshi Kuroda

U.S.OPAC, Inc.

Since the establishment of our company, U.S.OPAC, Inc. has been developing an export business dealing with a wide variety of Japanese foods. We also have two overseas offices in Honolulu and Los Angeles. Our company has been exporting high quality Japanese foods such as Japanese vegetables, mushrooms, wasabi, a new style of noodles, pasta and sweets. Especially we are always trying to introduce new style products "convenient foods" to the world. Our theme is "health, beauty and taste." We are introducing our new products for the first time, We are confident that you will accept our new products. Our products show you various Japanese foods which will definitely enhance your modern healthy lifestyle.

Contact Information
U.S.OPAC, Inc.
378-3 Ogo-machi, Maebashi City, Gunma, 371-0223, Japan
tel: +81-27-283-3010
fax: +81-27-283-9739
e-mail: info@usopac.com
website : www.usopac.com
contact : Kiyoshi Ozawa

Hyogo Prefecture Tenobe Somen Association

Recipe

Bacon and Cabbage Nyumen
Ingredients (serves 2)
Ibonoito Somen ..... 2 bundles
Bacon ...................... 4 slices
Cabbage...................2 leaves
Soup - Water............800ml
Chicken Consomme cube ......1
Salt, pepper and chopped parsley to taste

How to cook

1. Boil the somen.
2. Cut the bacon slices into 1 inch width pieces 3. Chop the cabbage leaves into thin rectangular pieces.
4. Bring water and chicken consomme to a boil in a pot. Add the bacon and the cabbage. When the soup returns to a boil place the somen into the pot and season with salt and pepper.
5. Arrange in a bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Contact Information
Hyogo Prefecture Tenobe Somen Association
219-2 Tominaga, Tatsuno-cho, Tatsuno City, Hyogo, 679-4167, Japan
tel: +81-0791-62-0826
fax: +81-0791-62-3828
website : www.ibonoito.or.jp
contact : Kunio Hasegawa

Ishimaru Foods & Noodles Corp.

Recipe

Hiyashi Somen
Ingredients : (serves 4)
Somen ......... 14 oz
Prawn............8
Mentsuyu (Soy-baed dipping soup for noodles, store-bought) Yakumi (green onion, shiso leaves, sesame or seaweed for taste)

How to cook

1. Boil water in a large pot. Cook somen in the port for 1 1/2 minutes, then transfer into iced-water and rinse well by swirling them by hand.
2. Boil the prawns in salted water and shell.
3. put ice cubes and water in a deep dish, then add somen (1) and garnish with prawns.
4. Eat with mentsuyu (dipping sauce) with Yakumi.

Contact Information
Ishimaru Foods & Noodles Corp.
701 Oka, Konan-cho, Takamatsu City, Kagawa, 761-1401, Japan
tel: +81-87-879-6111
fax: +81-87-879-8454
e-mail: info@isimaru.co.jp
website : www.isimaru.co.jp
contact : Takayuki Tsumura
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