Cookbook:Somen

Somen are a variety of thin Japanese wheat noodles.

Characteristics
Somen noodles are very thin, pulled noodles made from wheat flour. They are about 1 mm thick and round, with a pale color and very mild flavor. A variety called tamago somen contains egg in the dough.

Production
Somen are traditionally made by kneading wheat flour, water, and salt to make a dough. After a rest period, the dough is rolled and stretched into ropes. These ropes are very carefully twisted and stretched very thin (about 1–1.3 mm thick). The finished noodles are then dried, cut, and packaged. Some varieties of somen are aged for up to 2–3 years.

Selection and storage
The dried noodles have a very long shelf life at room temperature, lasting at least 1 year in a cool, dry location.

Use
Before use, somen are briefly simmered in a large volume of water, then drained and placed in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. The cooked noodles are then used in the final preparation. One popular way to eat somen is cold with a soy-based dipping sauce called tsuyu, with garnishes on the side such as scallions, sesame, and seaweed. The noodles can also be served hot in a broth, or added to salads and stir-fries.

In the special dish nagashi somen, cooked somen noodles flow down a stream of water and are picked out by diners to eat.

Substitution
If you can't find either somen or somyeon (the Korean version), then another variety of very thin wheat noodles (e.g. angel hair) will make an acceptable substitute. Be sure to check the salt content of the noodles and adjust as necessary.