Beat the Heat With Cold Somen (Thin Japanese Dipping Noodles) | Kenji's Cooking Show

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For the dipping sauce I combine:
- 80% dashi (you can use hondashi or make it yourself - see my video on miso soup for directions: • Miso Soup | Kenji's Co... )
- 10-15% mirin
- 5-10% shoyu
As usual, Nami from Just One Cookbook has an excellent article and recipe with more details on this dish if you are interested: www.justonecookbook.com/somen/

[@kwades2025]

Could you make a video on gazpacho?

[@JKenjiLopezAlt]

Done. Just for you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/onWWiKybpqh3ftk

[@rosemarychadi7734]

Omg lol Too funny!

[@foolishjonny]

@@JKenjiLopezAlt ha. Tremendous!

[@Basomic]

@@JKenjiLopezAlt oh oh, me next! Can you make a video on crab cakes?

[@kwades2025]

😅 thank you that was fast 🤪

[@Carnac311]

I really appreciate how much care you take maintaining the privacy of your family and especially your daughter in all your videos. There's a lot of people who don't understand this concept and post their kids everywhere on social media.

[@auxzilla5495]

To each their own. I respect his decision to maintain the privacy of his children but let us not bash those that see no problem choosing not to.

[@Carnac311]

@@auxzilla5495 I was not bashing anyone or at least not meaning to. People far more eloquent than me have articulated why posting pictures of your kids all over is a bad idea all over the web - a quick search will reveal this - and I don't want to just regurgitate it, so just one point: once something is out there on the web it basically cannot be taken back. The kid might realize later on that it does not like what's out there that was posted by parents or other family. I like looking at adorable pictures/videos of kids as much as the next person. I'm sure Kenji's daugher is adorable too and I know I would enjoy watching him interact with her, watching him cook with her, etc - I have to take a step back to realize that this should not be the norm. I'm not saying this should be the absolutist position, but people should to be cognizant of what it means to post something on social media, what the consequences can be etc. Many are not.

[@lukementer6048]

@@auxzilla5495 What?

[@XxMarkTheSharkxX]

@@auxzilla5495 Straight up projecting about something he didn't do. Maybe post your kids on social media less lol.

[@David_Jr]

I agree. I think he is concerned about protecting his family, I respect that.

[@kukri52231]

Some reasons why I love these videos: •Kenji exposes us to so many authentic foods from other cultures. I love that variety. •Kenji explains the rational and background behind the cooking techniques. This is so useful! (I would have mistakenly salted that pasta water) •The first person and unedited nature of the video makes the recipe feel more approachable/easy.

[@cairoherrlinger4429]

Kenji, I'm a cook in a professional kitchen starting my career, and like you I have a passion for food and how things work. You're a great influence to me and I appreciate what you do.

[@badcaseofthebajabada]

Wow, that’s really nice. I wish you all the best Cairo.

[@gabelstapler19]

Growing up in a Japanese-American home, somen was our favorite summer time meal. Grandma would put little shiitake mushrooms in the broth, which were my favorite part. I've never added ginger, but I'll have to try it!

[@bamchap3700]

The kitchen mat with a quote from yourself has some real Michael Scott energy and I love it

[@JKenjiLopezAlt]

It’s too hot. I’m headed to Boston where it’s… 97F. Crap.

[@chiangogo]

Ah, yes. The famous May - July months in Boston where it goes from -15F to 100F

[@Limma1]

at least you'll have an ac there!

[@OlEgSaS32]

Has Kenji lost his wooden leg?

[@Kryptix]

If you wanna feel even hotter come to Australia

[@thelastmike]

I'm in upstate NY. There is a large Bermuda High setup bringing not just the heat but South Florida like humidity to the entire Northeast. Dew point in Boston right now - 73.

[@Ottomagne]

I've lived most of my life in Texas, but the two weeks we were without electricity following hurricane Rita in the 90-100+ heat was some of the most miserable times of my life. Hoping Kenji and all my friends in the PNW get through this safely 💜

[@Innatefulness]

Estimated at least 12 heat-related deaths just in Seattle :( This is only the beginning.

[@carl-isaakkrulewitch7810]

Your elegant, respectful style of cooking is so lovely. Thank you for sharing these recipes with us!

[@oweeb5909]

Kenji is such a great youtuber, thanks to him I've been beginning to learn how to cook. Much appreciated!

[@judyjrasmussen339]

Somen is wonderfully simple and delicious. Learned to make it in college from my boyfriend then, so brings back memories. A little sesame oil is also good with the shoyu.

[@Imbadanny]

it's insane how many ppl you got motivated to cook, including me. always fun to test stuff and maybe change a little bit. thanks kenjij for being here in those times :)

[@ediotism]

Northern Japanese folks (e.g. Hokkaido) have cold noodles even in winter. The difference is that they make the soy sauce a bit stronger, and use a tea cup (without handle) to hold it - so you dip your cold noodles in the soy sauce and slurp it (it's a cultural thing - it's polite to slurp) then take a tiny sip of that soy/mirin/dashi sauce for flavour. when you finish your noodles, you'll still have soy/mirin/dashi sauce left over in your tea cup, this is when you pour the hot water that your boiled the noodles in (so it's a starchy water) into that tea cup, so you finish your meal with a hot cup of broth. it's absolutely phenomenal and I'd recommend everyone to try it if they have the chance to.

[@woodwindsrock]

Bruuuuuh, I would love for a series on noodles or even just Japanese noodles in general. I feel like that's a really big area that we limit to Italian with 2, maybe 3, types from Asia.

[@adrivero899]

I live in the Seattle area and this record breaking heat had me looking for cold food. Thanks for the recipe!

[@cherdrol]

Love this dish. Thank you.

[@TheSpindrift76]

Hooray, my favorite is soba but I might try somen. I make cold noodles all the time so this is fun. Thanks for the tip on scallions!

[@sonmangaking]

Kenji love ur videos thanks for a great recipe for the heat

[@tenou213]

Very few savory things are this refreshing in the current climate. Thanks for the great choice and execution!

[@tomokoichi]

Slurping is obligatory! This is total nostalgia. As a youngster, my job helping mom in the kitchen was to fish out the somen and make the bundles. Thank you for prompting these memories, Kenji.

[@markgebo197]

Love your hearing your knife techniques, while I am still a noob your instructions have helped me improve dramatically. Stay cool brother

[@jennifercamille16]

Mmm I LOVE cold noodles!! Cucumber & yogurt soup is super delicious as well. Thanks for the recipes!! 💛💚💙💜

[@michaelt7397]

Wow! Thank you for the video! I usually just make it with Memmi and water but it never tasted like my mom’s. I’m really excited to try this recipe.

[@robbeason]

Thanks Kenji! I can't wait to make this for my wife and daughter!

[@youlilgremlinkun]

I had this once when I lived in Australia, from a tucked away shop in a mall lol. It wasn’t even a hot day but it was delicious. I gotta try my own hand at this!

[@xiezicong]

Made this today. It was great!

[@cwongplus4639]

thank you. i just made this in 5 minutes and it was sooooo good

[@prestonhinkle6354]

I also live in Seattle, and had the wedge salad recipe that you posted last week. It was really cooling and definitely hit the spot :D

[@jtoda012]

I made somen this weekend, too. Portland has been so hot and somen is also my go-to 😁

[@bsol510]

i love cold noodles in the summer. naengmyeon is a very similar korean dish but instead of dipping the noodles in sauce it’s usually served in a cold broth

[@franksutton2264]

Maybe the difference in preparation is because buckwheat noodles are less likely to go soggy?

[@emmaharrison1399]

Love naengmyon!

[@erickim9729]

The way you went from (what I'm assuming) 1.5x to normal timing near the end of the video was flawless.

[@oriolopocholo]

Thanks for the clarification.

[@OurKitchenClassroom]

懐かしい~~!!! 💜💜💜 This takes me right back to those hot summers living in Japan! All that's missing is the big bamboo water slide for chasing and catching the somen. Thank you for for reminding us that "cooking" doesn't always mean slaving over a hot stove, Kenji!

[@bigbird4481]

what happens if you don't catch the somen do you get more or something?

[@spacesandy3410]

This video is so homey, I love it.

[@Robzooo7]

Love this recipe, wonder if you have one for tsukemen as can't find a decent one online

[@TheArcSet]

Thank you for this video.

[@JohnDoe-dw7or]

Great video, another addition to the dipping soup that I like is grated daikon (oroshi)

[@maydaygarden]

More cold recipes please! I live in So AZ, hell's front porch🌵Much empathy for my family and everyone living in the PNW🌲

[@TRON0314]

I always pause before hearing the eating. Like my brother eating chips while talking to me on the phone. :D

[@JeremySpeer]

Made a variation on this the other day when Portland topped out at 115°.... cold noodles, the only way to go at these temps.

[@jackkirsch2018]

Great video!!

[@michaelboso9355]

Going tent camping this weekend. Was just thinking about ideas other than sandwiches for lunch and bam, this! I have everything I need from when I made your miso soup to make the sauce so it's on. (Also making gazpacho!) And thick, juicy burgers...

[@LoftyVerbz]

My man. That ratio was perfect. Japanese shoyu is key. I tasted it after I mixed and I made a mad scientist laugh. Lol

[@shiolei]

Beating the heat with this!

[@Korwinexile]

Soba, ginger, scallions, wasabi, tsuyu, mirin, soy - check! Definitely will try the backstroke with my Sekiryu. Cold soba for dinner it is! Try adding blanched sorel or pickled beets into your cold cucumber soup (no need for vinegar then). Sorel or julienned pickled beets, cucumbers, scallions, dill, sour cream and a 7-minute egg (strictly according to your book!) - is the Eastern European way to cool off... Greetings from Edmonton, Canada - the Heat Wave has caught us too!

[@judyh3707]

I was like "why is an infant swimming???" and then realized that so much time had passed. And now I'm hungry for cold dippy noodles

[@etherdog]

Great demonstration, Kenji! I've been trying more Japanese recipes lately in anticipation of our trip to Japan when it is ok to do so. But where is the water slide for the noodles? :-)

[@Ghfjfjfhs]

Love this with cucumbers and avocado. I've been looking for more topping combinations to make this more substantial though - it always feels like a poor man's lunch when it's just carbs and a light sauce.

[@bureku]

could probably add some cooked and chilled shrimp to bulk it up and add protien!

[@Nightriser271828]

I throw in an egg, somewhere between poaching and scrambilng the egg. Crack an egg in, let it poach for about 20 seconds, then break it up. With thinly sliced cucumber (sometimes I do cucumber kimchi) and a drizzle of sesame oil, it's light but satisfying.

[@xdarkeagle17x]

I've often had dipping noodles with vegetable tempura. Not ideal to be deep frying if you're in the heat wave right now, but it sure is delicious!

[@janeosun]

cold silken tofu! cubed straight outta the package

[@JakobderLugner]

The traditional proteins you have with this are chilled shredded dashimaki tamago or seasoned fried tofu (abura-age, like what you get in kitsune udon). I've also had it with shredded beef before but that's more common for chilled soba or udon. But yes, the noodles by themselves are definitely far more common

[@Lmuas]

I eat soba alot but never had somen. Good to know that both are eaten the same as cold dipping. Cant wait to try it.

[@tommanning7337]

Dude that’s crazy, I have a buddy in WA and those temps are outrageous for that area, so hey man great video and stay cool!!!! 👍🏻👍🏻 Oh I ordered an Ooni saw your book on the site, very very cool🍕🍕 they’re back logged so still waiting on the oven. It’s worth the wait!

[@josephnoonan82]

love the sandal tan!

[@shadowoftime01]

Thank you for teaching me how to thinly slice scallions, my friends have been making fun of my cuts and while it’s improved when I got a set of Kan knives, I know I could do better.

[@cellobarney]

Just keep thinning, just keep thinning... :)

[@onodera3964]

Try adding some crushed walnuts to that cucumber soup. I actually made kefir-cucumber soup for lunch today: grated cucumber, 2.5% kefir, salt, dill, crushed garlic, crushed walnuts, olive oil.

[@timba271]

favorite youtube-cook

[@YifuJensenD]

Never realized Kenji lives in Seattle till now. If only this video was out 2 days ago I would have totally made it yesterday when it got to 115 here on Eastside. Regardless it’s still a great recipe to collect, thanks!!

[@locke2517]

Do houses in Seattle have central AC? I live in Texas so central AC is standard in most homes built past 1970, but I've heard people from the north say alot of houses don't have it up there.

[@JKenjiLopezAlt]

No. Very few. I think I read only 44% have any kind of AC. My place does not.

[@itayhadad8665]

@@JKenjiLopezAlt buy an AC its a must!

[@locke2517]

@@JKenjiLopezAlt sorry to hear its so hot, hope y'all get some relief soon.

[@akuro6470]

@@itayhadad8665 It doesn't get *this* hot up here that often. As someone who lives in a house with an AC in the Seattle area, it is of course nice but typically off on most summer days.

[@pdthorn]

Typically only high rises in Vancouver have A/C, few single resident homes even in affluent neighbourhoods have central air

[@katielevel5267]

I just made this yesterday!

[@WorkLara]

We love grated daikon too in our dipping sauce. And of course tempura. If it's not too hot!

[@oranda3737]

Kenji I’m from the seattle area too and my family made somen and soba to beat the heat yesterday. Stay strong and eat cold noodles Washingtonians😤

[@VermeersLens]

This is the perfect solution to wanting to eat noodles on a hot day.

[@omeadpooladzandi9786]

Not sure if soup or salsa or smoothie or yogurt drink. But sounds amazing!

[@darkerthanblackk1]

Would you recommend using better quality shoyu and mirin because there are so few ingredients? If so, any favorite brands?

[@dajero]

Grated daikon goes great too!

[@jerim4543]

Hot here today in NYC with so much humidity. I got flack for only serving a giant salad with crudites and 3 dips. Gonna try your cold noodles tomorrow.

[@lemons_s]

Hiyashi Chuka is another good cold summer dish

[@modest_mind2526]

Keep cool Kenji, the heat waves in the north west have been brutal lately.

[@acecarego]

revisiting this during this seattle heatwave ~~ 😓

[@arashsani6719]

9:17 that crunch!!

[@bigolpancake9136]

You're the best, Kenji - stay cool.

[@eschybach]

So glad someone else caught that...

[@TeaSniffer_]

Ayyyyy I ate this the last 3 days during the heatwave lol

[@anashassan8164]

Hey kenji i really love your salt container and black pepper grinder, would you mind sharing where i might find something similar to yours?

[@zell6108]

My hero

[@lautarobarrionuevo3586]

you should also do korean cold noodles kenji, they are great :)

[@im.daveee]

I never tried cold noodles before so I watched this and made it. Oh man! So refreshing, but I added a little too much ginger and it overpowered my broth but other than that, thanks Kenji!

[@saadsalman9713]

Any possible replacements for Mirin, something non-alcoholic?

[@tylerball7624]

Hi Kenji, random question, do you have a favorite place to eat peking duck in New York? Thanks for all your videos! Love learning from you. Looking forward to your new book when it comes out!

[@JungleScene]

I live in the PNW... Ive been eating tons of zaru soba lately! I just made a big batch of mentsuyu before the heatwave. Im wondering where did you buy that zaru plate? The only thing ive been able to find was a cheap plastic one at Oomomo, a japanese store in Canada.

[@movingforwardLDTH]

Please, some questions about the yummy-looking cucumber soup, cuz I’m clueless & trying not to waste ingredients by forking it up: (1) Edit to add: Nevermind, I watched your gazpacho video & got my answers on cukes. [2 cukes: like those long English cucumbers or the small Persian ones? (Wouldn’t regular garden variety cukes be too watery? Or does that help cut the yogurt/milk?)] (2) The 1:1 Yogurt & milk: 1 = a cup? A tablespoon? (3) The chili/anaheim pepper: If I need to omit this (cuz old fart stomach can’t handle it ), does it need to be replaced w/something or should I just leave it out? Thanks!!!

[@lukelammers7607]

5:54 that flip flop tan line tho!

[@charthepirate]

Ohhhhh my bodega had somen noodles and i was wondering what i could use them for :)

[@pumpkin1escobar]

Love this, ate a ton when I lived in japan. I am amazed you put that much hon dashi in though, that would be suuuuuper fishy. Here on the coast of canada it's just as bad, no AC and not basement to hide out in.

[@franksutton2264]

Opposite side of Canada (NB), here it’s a manageable 25C but the humidity is awful.

[@Dodgemasta]

Making this today by coincidence!

[@TomMathesonColes]

if you dont wanna buy all different ingredients for the dipping sauce you can buy soba-tsuyu and water it down a bit and add some ice cubes aswell, its basically the same thing, find it at your asian grocery in the japanese section.

[@dtopa7524]

Ever since I started watching Kenji, I find myself buying all kinds of "little ginger graters" and other kitchen nick-nacks. Not a complaint, just an observation.

[@bfc9467]

Well its winter in Australia but I'll be saving this video

[@jessost1788]

Try 1:1 water:yogurt, grated cucumber, some olive oil, dill, crushed garlic and crushed walnuts. I also like to add some lime juice. With ice it's such a great cold soup.

[@primeribviking3688]

Skiing down the road in one season, hiding in the basement from the heat in another. It's getting wild

[@k_ha]

I can watch you slice scallions all day

[@tak0yak1]

use ponzu instead of shoyu, serve noodles in a bowl over ice cubes for great hack (cool, easy presentation and very cold and never stuck together noodles)

[@KasranFox]

and if you really want a special presentation (and have some chutes made of bamboo lying around), you can do what's called nagashi somen, where eaters catch the noodles as they come down the chute

[@buddah_baddy]

Kenji are you in my house or something? This is literally what I'm making for dinner.

[@rrozpierducha]

These nodles are just thin wheat flour noodles? Hand-made from plain wheat flour/durum semolina will be fine?

[@Matt-wd2ws]

fave seattle based cook

[@Soul-fp8si]

Really want to get one of those mats now, can't find them though

[@HaiNguyen408]

do you need to keep shoyu in the fridge?

[@MattPChoy]

Where can we get the ginger grater from?

[@danielleanderson6371]

I made this! It was really lovely, although I couldn't find somen or soba and went with vermicelli, which was a mistake. It's hard enough to get that stuff untangled wet. When it's dry you can forget about it. Ended up dropping the whole mass in the broth to get it loose enough to pull out bite-sized amounts. In the future when I can find the right kind of noodles I'll definitely make this again, perhaps with some shrimp for a little protein. I think that would pair well with the broth and work with the cold temperature. As a little cheater's note, I reused the ice from chilling the broth for chilling the noodles and it worked just fine. The broth wasn't really hot to begin with, so the cubes hardly melted by the time I plated everything up.

[@tomudj]

One of my favorite parts of these videos is just seeing him casually do something like peel ginger with a spoon and then being like "Well I guess my life is forever changed"

[@3m287]

Save washing up and do it with the back of a knife, has the same effect as the spoon

[@tomudj]

@@3m287 Thank u Backwoods

[@Brendan.Wheatley]

You guy's are suffering through heat, yet us in Australia are suffering through a coldsnap! Cheers Kenji

[@Doom-co8tc]

Let’s go papi kenji