su-Chilled Udon Salad (Hiyashi Chuka Udon)
Photo: Aya Brackett; Styling: Alessandra Mortola
Yields Serves 4 Total Time 1 hr
AuthorSylvan Mishima Brackett
Typically made with ramen noodles, this salad is also delicious with udon. Use leftover dressing on ordinary salad greens.

How to Make It

Step 1
1

Blanch haricots verts in boiling water 2 minutes; drain and rinse with cool water.

Step 2
2

Mix eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl with chopsticks or a fork. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

Step 3
3

Heat an 8-in. nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, very lightly oil with an oiled paper towel (if you have too much oil, the egg will not form a pancake). Pour 1 tbsp. egg mixture into pan, swirling it around the bottom to form a thin, even omelet with no browning (lower heat if it starts to brown). Cook 1 minute, until surface of omelet is dry; no need to flip. Carefully lift out onto a plate, trying to avoid folds and wrinkles. Repeat with remaining egg mixture, layering each onto the one below, until you've made 10 omelets. Roll omelets and slice into 1/8-in.-thick ribbons of egg.

Step 4
4

Whisk broth, sesame paste, ground sesame seeds, miso, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar together in a bowl.

Step 5
5

Boil udon (see "Udon Essentials," below). Rinse well in a large bowl of ice water.

Step 6
6

Arrange udon on a platter. Top with alternating piles of haricots verts, bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, and egg ribbons, with pickled ginger in center. Serve with a pitcher of dressing on the side, or pour the dressing over the salad.

Step 7
7

Udon Essentials Udon (wheat-flour noodles): Store-bought fresh-frozen noodles have a supple texture that's closest to homemade, while the dried ones tend to be thin and flabby. To cook store-bought fresh-frozen udon, drop the frozen block into boiling water. When the water boils again, drain. Cook udon right before serving; the noodles get sticky as they sit.

Step 8
8

Make ahead: Broth, up to 2 hours at room temperature. Vegetables and egg, up to 1 day, chilled.

Step 9
9

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving with 3 tbsp. dressing.

Ingredients

 1/4 pound haricots verts or green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-in. lengths
 3 eggs
 2 teaspoons sugar
 1 teaspoon cornstarch
 1/4 teaspoon salt
  Vegetable oil
 1/4 cup Japanese white sesame paste (shiro neri goma) or 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, ground to a sandy paste in a clean coffee grinder
 1 tablespoon toasted, ground sesame seeds
 1 1/2 teaspoons shiro miso
 1/3 cup soy sauce
 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
 1 teaspoon sugar
 3/4 pound fresh or frozen udon noodles
 1/2 small red bell pepper, cut into very thin matchsticks
 1/2 seeded Japanese or English cucumber, cut into very thin matchsticks (about 2 in. long)
 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks (about 2 in. long)

Directions

Step 1
1

Blanch haricots verts in boiling water 2 minutes; drain and rinse with cool water.

Step 2
2

Mix eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl with chopsticks or a fork. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

Step 3
3

Heat an 8-in. nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, very lightly oil with an oiled paper towel (if you have too much oil, the egg will not form a pancake). Pour 1 tbsp. egg mixture into pan, swirling it around the bottom to form a thin, even omelet with no browning (lower heat if it starts to brown). Cook 1 minute, until surface of omelet is dry; no need to flip. Carefully lift out onto a plate, trying to avoid folds and wrinkles. Repeat with remaining egg mixture, layering each onto the one below, until you've made 10 omelets. Roll omelets and slice into 1/8-in.-thick ribbons of egg.

Step 4
4

Whisk broth, sesame paste, ground sesame seeds, miso, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar together in a bowl.

Step 5
5

Boil udon (see "Udon Essentials," below). Rinse well in a large bowl of ice water.

Step 6
6

Arrange udon on a platter. Top with alternating piles of haricots verts, bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, and egg ribbons, with pickled ginger in center. Serve with a pitcher of dressing on the side, or pour the dressing over the salad.

Step 7
7

Udon Essentials Udon (wheat-flour noodles): Store-bought fresh-frozen noodles have a supple texture that's closest to homemade, while the dried ones tend to be thin and flabby. To cook store-bought fresh-frozen udon, drop the frozen block into boiling water. When the water boils again, drain. Cook udon right before serving; the noodles get sticky as they sit.

Step 8
8

Make ahead: Broth, up to 2 hours at room temperature. Vegetables and egg, up to 1 day, chilled.

Step 9
9

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving with 3 tbsp. dressing.

Chilled Udon Salad (Hiyashi Chuka Udon)

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