Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen)
Last month I finished reading Meshi by Katherine Tamiko Arguile. It’s a heartfelt and beautifully written memoir that explores her connection to Japanese food and culture. Told through the changing seasons in Japan, the book blends stories from her childhood with reflections on family, identity, and the deep emotional ties we have to food. It’s personal, nostalgic, and full of rich, sensory detail, perfect for anyone who loves food and the memories it holds. I even cried which made it very hard to read when tears were in my eyes.
This recipe is from the period of the year Boshu which is between 6-20 June, the summer time. It is a chilled Chinese-style egg noodle dish with a tangy dressing. I think it would be a great dish to pack in a lunch box too, with toppings to be customisable to whatever you fancy. The tangy dressing with sesame oil, shoyu, vinegar and ginger really brings it all together.
The recipe for the kinshi tamago (shredded egg crepe you see in the photo) isn’t in the book, but I followed this recipe here: justonecookbook.com/how-to-make-usuyaki-tamago-kinshi-tamago/
Hiyashi Chuka
Print RecipeIngredients
- 180g Hakubaku Japanese Ramen Noodle
Toppings
- kinshi tamago, cut into 0.5cm strips (see note)
- 200g lean ham, cut into 0.5cm strips
- 4 baby cucumbers, cut into long thin strips
- 6 crab sticks, pulled apart into strips
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted
Hiyashi Chuka Dressing
- 60ml shoyu
- 30g caster sugar
- 30ml rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp water
- ½ tsp freshly grated ginger
Instructions
- Cook the ramen noodles according to packet instructions, drain, rinse under a running tap, drain and allow to cool.
- Mix the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
- Prepare all the toppings.
- Diving the noodles between two plates, arrange the toppings over the noodles from the centre outwards like segments in a pie chart.
- Sprinkle over sesame seeds and pour over dressing just before serving.
Notes
Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen)