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Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen with Amazu Dare Dressing)

September 2, 2017 by KozmoKitchen Leave a Comment

Print Recipe
Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen with Amazu Dare Dressing)
Hiyashi Chuka, chilled ramen noodles with a variety of shredded vegetables, eggs, meat toppings, and cold tare (vinegar dressing), is a very popular dish that is often made at home. The easiest way to make it is to get a packaged Hiyashi Chuka kit that includes noodles and tare, which you can find it at many Asian grocery stores these days. But it’s so easy to make your own tare, and topping choices are very flexible. You can use any leftover veggies in the fridge, although Kinshi tamago (shredded egg crepe), cucumber, and either ham, cha-shu pork, or chicken tenders are seen in most recipes. The most common tare is amazu dare (a soy sauce-based sweet and sour dressing). There is also goma dare, a richer tare that includes sesame paste. I am sharing a simple recipe with amazu dare. You can then add some creative twists to make your own version of Hiyashi Chuka.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Japanese
Servings
Ingredients
  • Amazu Dare yields about 2 cups
  • 180 cups ml. or 6 fl. oz. kombu dashi (to make soak a 4-inch piece of kombu (dried kelp) in 2room-temperature water for an hour, then remove and discard kombu)
  • 180 ml or 6 fl. oz. soy sauce
  • 200-220 ml. or about 7 fl. oz. rice vinegar
  • 6 tbsp. sugar
  • 100 ml. or 3.5 fl. oz. mirin
  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp. juice from grated fresh ginger optional
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • Noodles and toppings
  • 12-16 oz. ramen noodles (preferably uncooked noodles availablethe freezer section at Asian groceries)
  • 6-8 oz. chicken breast fillets chicken tenders, store-bought cooked cha-shu pork, or cooked ham
  • 1 oz ginger root if using chicken
  • 1 bunch green onions about 3" of green part only (if using chicken)
  • 2 Persian or 1/3 English cucumber halved lengthwise and thinly julienned
  • 2 medium tomatoes each cut into 8 wedges
  • Note: You can also add other vegetables such as wakame seaweed blanched bean sprouts, shredded lettuce, or cooked shiitake mushrooms.
  • 4 eggs
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp. potato starch mixed with 1/2 tsp. water
  • 2 tbsp. powdered Japanese mustard mixed with 2 tbsp. water or 2 tbsp. prepared mustard paste
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Japanese
Servings
Ingredients
  • Amazu Dare yields about 2 cups
  • 180 cups ml. or 6 fl. oz. kombu dashi (to make soak a 4-inch piece of kombu (dried kelp) in 2room-temperature water for an hour, then remove and discard kombu)
  • 180 ml or 6 fl. oz. soy sauce
  • 200-220 ml. or about 7 fl. oz. rice vinegar
  • 6 tbsp. sugar
  • 100 ml. or 3.5 fl. oz. mirin
  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp. juice from grated fresh ginger optional
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • Noodles and toppings
  • 12-16 oz. ramen noodles (preferably uncooked noodles availablethe freezer section at Asian groceries)
  • 6-8 oz. chicken breast fillets chicken tenders, store-bought cooked cha-shu pork, or cooked ham
  • 1 oz ginger root if using chicken
  • 1 bunch green onions about 3" of green part only (if using chicken)
  • 2 Persian or 1/3 English cucumber halved lengthwise and thinly julienned
  • 2 medium tomatoes each cut into 8 wedges
  • Note: You can also add other vegetables such as wakame seaweed blanched bean sprouts, shredded lettuce, or cooked shiitake mushrooms.
  • 4 eggs
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp. potato starch mixed with 1/2 tsp. water
  • 2 tbsp. powdered Japanese mustard mixed with 2 tbsp. water or 2 tbsp. prepared mustard paste
Instructions
  1. For amazu dare, combine all ingredients except ginger and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Turn off heat, add ginger and lemon juice, and transfer tare to a container. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then chill in fridge. The tare will keep for up to a month in the fridge, so you should have enough to make Hiyashi Chuka several times.
  2. For Kinshi tamago (shredded egg crepe), beat eggs and add a pinch of salt and the potato starch mixture. Mix well. Heat a 9-inch non-stick or greased stainless steel pan over medium heat. Pour one quarter of the egg batter into the pan, spreading the batter evenly to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds, or until the surface is no longer wet and the edges are starting release from the pan edges. Pick up the edge of the crepe and flip it. Cook for about 10 to 15 seconds, transfer the crepe to a cutting board, and cool to room temperature. Cut the crepe into quarters, stack the pieces into a pile, then slice them thinly. Put aside.
  3. If you are using chicken breast for the meat topping, place chicken in a deep pot and add enough water to cover by one inch, along with ginger root and green onion. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook for one minute. Cover pot and turn off the heat. Leave the lid on for about 30 minutes; chicken will continue to cook with residual heat. Cut into chicken to make sure it is no longer pink inside. Tear cooked chicken into shreds. If you are using cha-shu pork or cooked ham, slice into matchstick-sized pieces about 2 inches long. Put aside.
  4. For noodles, boil 7-8 cups of water in a deep pot. Follow the cooking instructions on the package. Cooking time is usually 1-3 minutes. Drain noodles and give them a quick rinse under cold running water.
  5. Divide the cooked noodles into four portions and put each serving in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Garnish with Kinshi tamago, cucumber, meat, and tomatoes, and put a teaspoon of mustard on the edge of the bowl or plate. Pour 4 oz of amazu dare around the noodles and mix tare and mustard if you like as you toss the toppings and noodles together. Enjoy the authentic Hiyashi Chuka experience!
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Filed Under: Main, Noodles

Salmon Nanban Zuke

September 2, 2017 by KozmoKitchen Leave a Comment

The arrival of Copper River salmon in May gets Seattleites delighted and excited because it means the kickoff of summer in the Northwest, the long-awaited joyous season of sunshine and blue skies for the next three months. Local grocery stores and restaurants start showcasing Cooper River salmon, known for its succulent texture and rich flavor. It’s pricey (although buying a whole fish can save you a lot of money) but definitely worth trying while it’s available (for season updates, see http://www.copperriversalmon.org/press-news). And even if you miss the opportunity to taste Copper River salmon, there is a wide variety of other wonderful kinds of salmon that can inspire you to cook numerous recipes through summer and into fall — from simple grilled fillets or steaks to super-fresh sashimi or sushi.

Now here is a great summery recipe that I love and highly recommend that you add to your salmon repertoire. Nanban Zuke is often made with small fish like Aji (Spanish mackerel), smelt, and sardine, and it works wonderfully with salmon as well. Fried salmon is marinated in sweet vinegar called Nanban zu along with fresh summer vegetables that add bright colors and flavor. You can serve it chilled as a refreshing appetizer on a hot summer evening. I hope there will be many occasions on which you can make Nanban Zuke, the perfect addition to your dinner menus this summer.


Print Recipe
Salmon Nanban Zuke
Course Appetizers
Cuisine Japanese
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Passive Time 3 hours
Servings
people
Ingredients
  • 13 fl. oz. kombu dashi a 2-inch piece of kombu (dried kelp) soaked in 13 fl. oz. of water at room temperature for 30 minutes)
  • 4 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp. sake
  • 2 tbsp. mirin
  • 4 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 lb fresh salmon fillets skin removed and cut into bite-sized
  • ½–1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. white pepper
  • ½ cup potato starch
  • 1 quart high-heat oil for frying such as canola or rice bran
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled, halved, and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 12 oz.)
  • 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
  • red chili flakes optional
  • 2 green onions white part only, for shiraga negi garnish
Course Appetizers
Cuisine Japanese
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Passive Time 3 hours
Servings
people
Ingredients
  • 13 fl. oz. kombu dashi a 2-inch piece of kombu (dried kelp) soaked in 13 fl. oz. of water at room temperature for 30 minutes)
  • 4 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp. sake
  • 2 tbsp. mirin
  • 4 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 lb fresh salmon fillets skin removed and cut into bite-sized
  • ½–1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. white pepper
  • ½ cup potato starch
  • 1 quart high-heat oil for frying such as canola or rice bran
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled, halved, and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 12 oz.)
  • 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
  • red chili flakes optional
  • 2 green onions white part only, for shiraga negi garnish
Instructions
  1. Make Nanban zu. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients for the vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then turn off the In a Dutch oven or deep pot, heat oil over high heat to 325F.
  2. Sprinkle salmon pieces with salt and pepper and let sit for 10 minutes. Wipe off excess water with a paper towel (do not rinse the fish under running water). Place the potato starch in a medium bowl, add the salmon pieces, and toss to coat.
  3. Shake excess potato starch off salmon pieces and put them in the frying oil. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes and increase the heat to 350F. Cook for another minute or two until the surface looks nice and crisp.
  4. Transfer salmon pieces to a rack, let stand for 30 seconds, and then immediately transfer them to the container of nanban zu.
  5. Place the sliced onion, bell peppers, lemon slices, and red chili flakes on top of the salmon. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, pressing lightly onto the surface so that there’s no air under the wrap. Refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight.
  6. Make shiraga negi (onion garnish). Cut the root end off the green onion, cut off the green tops, and then cut the remaining white section into inch-long pieces. To each white section, make a lengthwise cut without cutting all the way through, and remove the core. Lay the outer layers flat and then cut them lengthwise into very thin strips. Soak the cut pieces in ice water for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
  7. Transfer the salmon and vegetables to serving bowls and garnish with shiraga negi.
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Filed Under: Appetizers, Uncategorized

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About Kanako

I am a Japanese native following her dream of bringing Japanese home cooking to Seattle. I love sharing the culinary traditions I grew up with. Making people happy through great food and dining experiences. And creating that feeling of family and home that only a nurturing hand crafted meal can provide. I see a world where everyone can make Japanese home cooking a part of everyday life that brings warmth, comfort and joy. Please allow me to share it with you.

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