You Can't See the Lemon, But It's the Taste of Summer: Lemon Cucumber Cold Somen

Ingredients

• 1 serving somen noodles
• cucumber
• lemon
• and other toppings you like
• plus a little sesame seed
• (broth) 1L water
• 20g kombu
• 2t salt
• 3T mirin
• 1T sugar
• 1 lemon (zest and juice)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1t sesame oil

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Steps

1. 01

   Pour water into a pot, add the kombu, and steep over low heat for about 30 minutes. Once it comes to a boil, remove the kombu. Add the mirin, salt, and sugar, bring to a light boil, then turn off the heat and let cool.

2. 02

   Once the stock has cooled, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, and sesame oil, and mix well. Strain and chill in the fridge.

3. 03

   Slice the cucumber for topping thinly, sprinkle with salt, and let sit about 10 minutes to draw out the moisture. Gather your forearm strength with a gyro ball, then wring out the moisture until crisp.

4. 04

   Boil the somen, adding a splash of cold water about three times as it cooks, then rinse in cold water.

5. 05

   Place the somen in a bowl, top with the crisp cucumber and shio kombu from step 3, pour the broth over, and sprinkle with a little sesame seed.