Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen)
I just returned to HK from two weeks in Japan with my gf Kayla! It was a surreal trip for me - somewhere I've wanted to visit since middle school. Japanese food is definitely my favorite cuisine, and during the trip, I became obsessed with all the food available at the convenience stores (7-11, Lawson's, and Family Mart). Just as promised by multiple friends, everything you stumble upon is absolutely delicious. Onigiri, pastries, sushi, rice and noodle dishes. The quality and flavor were unbelievable, and I quickly became addicted to the Hiyashi Chuka at 7-11. Hiyashi Chuka translates to "Chilled Chinese" lol! It's a Japanese dish of cold ramen noodles with various toppings and a delicious soy-sesame dressing. I've only been back in HK for a week and I'm already craving! So I decided to recreate the simple meal at home.
This dish is a great way to cool down in the Spring/Summer! Hiyashi Chuka can be made with a variety of toppings, but popular ones include: pickled ginger, cucumbers, ham, shrimp, strips of egg crepes, imitation crab, nori strips, wakame seaweed, and sesame seeds. Some other great ideas are carrots, shredded steamed chicken, and tomatoes! The options are endless, and the dressing is so yummy that it'll pull any combination together. This recipe is super simple - shred and julienne all your toppings, whisk up the dressing, and toss the chilled noodles together. You know how certain foods taste even better when eaten cold? The flavors of the sesame, soy, and rice vinegar dressing bring all the toppings to life :) Let's get cookin!
What You Need:
- 1 package of Chukamen noodles
Topping Ideas:
- 2 pieces ham, cut into strips
- 1 small cucumber, julienned
- Shrimp
- 2-4 imitation crab sticks, shredded
- 1/2 tomato, cut into wedges,
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- Shredded steamed chicken
- Wakame seaweed
- Nori seaweed strips
- Furikake
- Bean Sprouts
- Pickled red ginger (beni shoga)
- Roasted white sesame seeds
- Hard boiled egg
For the Egg Crepe:
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 tsp salt
- EVOO
For the Dressing:
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 tbsp Japanese rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp grated ginger
What To Do:
- Prepare the ramen according to the package directions. Set aside and let the noodles cool.
- Prepare all your toppings! There are a ton of options, but today I'm using strips of egg crepe, hard boiled eggs, imitation crab, ham, and cucumber. I'm missing my fav, pickled ginger, but it's super expensive in HK!
- Shred your protein, prepare the hard boiled eggs, and julienne your veggies.
- To make the egg crepe, whisk together 2 eggs with 1/4 tsp salt. Heat a pan with a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and allow it to cook thru in a thin, even layer. Remove and cool, then slice into thin strips.
- Almost done! Mix up the ingredients for the dressing: 1/3 cup water, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp sesame oil. You can also add an extra kick from freshly grated ginger or Japanese Karashi mustard.
That's it! Serve the cold ramen by placing all the yummy toppings over the noodles, and drizzling the sauce over the top. Some nice additions are nori strips, sesame seeds, or even furikake!! Toss to eat! :)
I love the flavors of the cool ramen combined with all the different toppings! Salty ham, crisp, cool cucumbers, soft and fluffy egg strips, and the umami of the seaweed and furikake :) This is a yummy dish that's the perfect cool down for warm weather! Hope you give a try, and let me know if you do! :) Have an awesome week!