Hiyashi Chūka or "chilled ramen" is a cold Japanese ramen salad that's the perfect light meal for a hot summer day. With loads of veggies and protein over a bed of chilled ramen noodles drizzled with a tangy sesame dressing, it's sure to wake your appetite on even the hottest of days.
Make the dressing by whisking together the water, soy sauce, tahini, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, salt and white pepper until the dressing is emulsified.
Prepare all the toppings.
Boil the noodles according to the package directions.
Drain the noodles and wash them with running cold water to remove any excess starch from the surface of the noodles.
Put the noodles in a bowl of ice water to chill them, and then drain the noodles well, removing any excess ice.
Split the noodles between two bowls, and then drizzle with some of the dressing.
Arrange the cucumber, tomatoes, ham, and usuyaki tamago on top of the noodles and then garnish with sesame seeds. Serve the hiyashi chuka with extra dressing on the side.
Video
Notes
For the cucumbers you want to use a thin-skinned variety with small seeds such as Japanese, Lebanese, or English.