Noodling Around
THREE COLD DISHES PERFECT FOR THE LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER.
Across much of Asia, chilled noodle dishes are punched up with a range of exciting textures and flavors. Japanese hiyashi chuka features cold ramen tossed with a simple dressing of sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and mirin for sweetness; a medley of colorful toppings includes julienned cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and briny seaweed snacks. In Vietnam, pleasantly chewy, flavor-absorbing rice noodles are layered with fresh vegetables, herbs, peanuts, and grilled, marinated pork, though we cook the thinly sliced meat under the broiler for ease. And all over East Asia, chilled sesame noodles are combined with grated ginger and chili pepper; we use chewy udon and substitute peanut butter for harder-to-find sesame paste.
Cold Ramen Salad With Soy and Sesame Dressing (Hiyashi Chuka)
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Vibrant and refreshing, the chilled noodle dish known as hiyashi chuka is a Japanese staple during the hot summer months. Hiyashi chuka translates as cold Chinese noodles — chuka is the word for Chinese-style noodles as well as an alias for ramen. The dish is flexible, so feel free to experiment with the toppings. We’ve chosen sliced ham, scallions, juicy tomatoes, and crisp cucumber matchsticks.
Some versions of hiyashi chuka are served with a richer dressing that includes sesame paste, though we opt for a lighter one made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and a little sugar; this imparts savory-tangy-sweet flavors to the noodles. Be sure to drain the noodles well to remove excess water that otherwise would dilute the dressing.
Plating individual portions is the classic way to serve hiyashi chuka, though we also include an option for serving family style.
To snip the nori, use kitchen shears or scissors.
4½ tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
½ English cucumber
10 ounces non-instant dried ramen noodles
4 ounces sliced deli ham, cut into ¼-inch strips
3 scallions, thinly sliced on a sharp diagonal
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1½ tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 0.35-ounce package roasted seaweed snacks, snipped with kitchen shears into thin strips (optional)
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, sugar, ginger, and 1 tablespoon water until the sugar dissolves; set aside. Thinly slice the cucumber on the diagonal, then stack several slices at a time and cut lengthwise into matchsticks.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil.
Add the ramen and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, then drain in a colander. Rinse under cold water, tossing well, until fully cooled, then drain again.
Evenly divide the noodles among 4 shallow serving bowls, then arrange the ham, scallions, tomatoes,
and cucumber on top in separate piles, evenly dividing the ingredients. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Stir the dressing to recombine, then drizzle about 3 tablespoons over each portion. Mound seaweed snacks (if using) in the center of each portion. (Alternatively, to serve family style, assemble the salad in a single serving dish; toss at the table just before serving.)
Vietnamese Rice Noodle Bowls With Broiled Marinated Pork (Bún Thit Nuong)
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
The Southern Vietnamese dish called bún thit nuong is a fantastic marriage of flavors and textures. Individual bowls are served with a savory-sweet sauce called nuoc cham on the side.
Made the classic way, there are many components to the dish; ours is a simplified version that broils the pork in lieu of grilling it. To create thin, even slices of the meat, freeze the pork, uncovered, until firm to the touch but not frozen solid, about 20 minutes, then slice with a sharp knife. If the pieces end up a bit uneven, not to worry — they’ll still be delicious.
When shopping, keep in mind that noodles of very different shapes might all be called “rice vermicelli.” The correct type to use here are round, not flat, and slender like thin spaghetti but not filament-thin. If you cannot find them in the international aisle of the grocery store, gluten-free, rice-based capellini is a decent substitute.
The noodles should not sit for too long after they are rinsed and drained. If they begin to dry on the exterior, the strands will stick together, so it’s best to portion them into bowls while still damp. If they end up having to wait, simply give them a quick rinse under cool water, toss to loosen, and drain again.
For the sauce (nuoc cham):
1/3 cup fish sauce
3½ tablespoons lime juice
¼ cup white sugar
3 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
1 or 2 serrano chilies, stemmed and minced
For the pork, noodles, and garnishes:
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon grape-seed or other neutral oil
2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
2 teaspoons white sugar
1¼ teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and sliced 1/8 - to ¼-inch thick (see headnote)
14 to 16 ounces round rice vermicelli (see headnote)
½ head romaine lettuce, shredded (about 3 cups)
½ English cucumber
2 cups lightly packed torn fresh mint, cilantro, or a combination
½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
To make the sauce, in a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and 6 tablespoons water. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the garlic cloves and chilies. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
To prepare the pork, in a medium bowl, stir together the fish sauce, oil, garlic, sugar, five-spice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the pork and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Heat the broiler with a rack about 4 inches from the element. Place a wire rack in a broiler-safe rimmed baking sheet. Distribute the pork in an even layer on the rack; it’s fine if the pieces do not lay perfectly flat. Broil until charred at the edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Using tongs, flip the slices and broil until well browned on the second sides, another 4 minutes.
To prepare the noodles, while the pork cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled, then drain again.
To assemble, divide the lettuce among 4 serving bowls, then top with noodles, dividing them evenly. Thinly slice the cucumber on the diagonal. Stack several slices and cut lengthwise into matchsticks. Repeat with the remaining slices. Divide the cucumber evenly among the bowls. Cut any large pieces of pork into bite-size strips and divide among the bowls, followed by the mint and/or cilantro and peanuts. Serve with the sauce on the side.
VARIATION: Vietnamese Rice Noodle Bowls With Broiled Marinated Tofu
Drain a 14- to 16-ounce container of firm tofu, then cut the tofu into ½-inch slabs and pat dry with paper towels. Follow the recipe, substituting the tofu for the pork; the broiling technique and timing for the tofu is the same as for the pork. When assembling, cut broiled tofu into large bite-size pieces before dividing evenly among the bowls.
Peanut-Sesame Noodles
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Thick, quick-cooking udon — Japanese wheat noodles — make easy work of supper. We infuse ours with robust flavor with a peanut-sesame sauce seasoned with ginger, soy sauce, and miso. Traditionally, this dish calls for Chinese sesame paste, which has a dark color and rich flavor, but can be difficult to find. Instead, we use natural peanut butter. The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week; bring it to room temperature before using.
Check the packaging of the noodles for the cooking timing. Be sure to rinse the noodles in cold water after cooking; they will become gummy otherwise.
To round out the dish, add cooked shredded chicken, poached shrimp, sautéed tofu cubes, or edamame.
For the sauce:
¼ cup natural peanut butter
2½ tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons white miso
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon finely grated garlic
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the noodles:
12 ounces dried udon noodles
3 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal (about ¼ cup)
To make the sauce, in a large bowl whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth; set aside.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until tender, according to the package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water, then drain the noodles. Rinse under cold water and drain again.
Add the noodles and 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water to the sauce and toss until coated. Sprinkle with the scallions.
Christopher Kimball is the founder of Milk Street, home to a magazine, school, and radio and television shows. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.