Authentic Japanese Cooking: Somen with Tomato and Lemon

Dining with the Chef!

Hi everyone and welcome to Dining with the chef.

I'm your host, Yu Hayami, and here is our wonderful Chef Saito!

Hello Yu! Hello everyone!

So chef, what are you going to teach us today?

You know Japanese summer noodles.

Woo! Could it be Japanese "somen" noodles?

Yes. Today we make super refreshing "somen" with tomato, basil, and lemon.

Wow, it has kind of an Italian feel to it?

Yes. Italian food is very popular in Japan.

So Italian plus Japanese.

Wow! I love it. Italian and Japanese fusion.

Yeah.

So we use olive oil today for deep flavor and aroma soy sauce and "dashi" very good together.

Anything else for making?

New potato French fries, fried with horse mackerel and "mitsuba" you'll like it.

Wow, they all sound really delicious. So, shall we?

Yes. Let's get started!

Japan is known for its bountiful fresh and delicious ingredients.

It's just amazing.

Japanese cuisine, guided by traditional culture that you will be able to prepare at home.

Perfect.

On today's menu - "somen" noodles with an Italian twist, and Japanese-style fish and chips.

Let's join Yu Hayami and become Chef Saito's chef apprentices.

Here's our Master Chef, Mr. Tatsuo Saito!

Never a dull moment with the chef!

Authentic Japanese cooking.

OK, here's what's cooking today.

Thin "somen" noodles are a summer favorite in Japan.

Chef Saito is going to serve these cold noodles with "mentsuyu," an umami-rich, soy sauce based dipping sauce, and some lemon, tomatoes, and basil, adding an Italian twist to this colorful dish.

Let's start by preparing the ingredients.

We have tomato basil and lemon.

Yes. So first, cut the cherry tomato.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.

- Any kind of tomato you can use.
- Okay.

- So next, tear the basil by hand.
- Okay.

Tear the basil into bite-size pieces to release its aroma.

You can also use other herbs, too.

Okay, next lemon use juice and fruit.

Cut and squeeze half of a lemon.

Oh, I love the smell of lemon, woo..., so refreshing!

Go through the juice to remove any seeds.

Peel the other half of the lemon.

Texture is very interesting.

Be sure to remove all the seeds.

Cut the fruit into 5 mm pieces to combine with the "somen".

Now, you're all set for toppings.

Great, what's next?

Sauce, very important.

Now to make the all-important "dashi" broth, with "kombu" and "katsuobushi" -skipjack shavings.

Gently wipe off any dirt.

But be careful, the white powder is all umami.

Pour water into a pot, add the "kombu," and place over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to draw out the umami flavor.

Bring to a boil and after about 30 seconds, remove the "kombu" and add water to stop the boiling.

Add the "katsuobushi" and bring to a gentle boil.

Simmer for 20 seconds, while removing any surface residue.

Turn off the heat and allow the "katsuobushi" to settle.

Then, strain through a paper towel.

Now you have a clear "dashi" broth, full of umami.

And now, let's make "mentsuyu"
from scratch.

It's an all-purpose seasoning and will
keep in the fridge for about five days.

Pour 200ml of "dashi" into a pot and add 50 ml each of mirin and soy sauce.

Place over heat to combine the seasonings.

Combine 4 parts "dashi" and 1 part each of soy sauce and mirin.

- Four-One-One.
Easy to remember.

Do we let it boil?

Yes, boil.

Bring to a gentle boil to incorporate
the ingredients.It'll keep better, too.

But don't let it boil for too long.

You'll spoil the flavor and aroma.

Turn off the heat as soon as it starts to boil and pour into a bowl.

This is "mentsuyu!"

Nice.

Let it cool to room temperature.

Put ingredients in the sauce to make a dressing.

Add the lemon juice and olive oil to the "mentsuyu."

You know olive oil of course is staple in Italian cooking, but we use it so much in Japan too when we are making Japanese food.

We use it as an accent, right?

- Yes, its good with Japanese food.
- Yes.

Mix everything together.

And then lemon fruit and tomatoes.

Ah nice! Wow, that looks yummy that looks like we can use for anything.

It goes well with everything.

Set it aside for a while to allow the ingredients to soak up the sauce.

The flavor of the ingredients will in turn, seep into the sauce, creating a harmony of flavors.

So now, can we make the "somen" noodles?

- Yes.
- Okay.

Ice-cold "somen" noodles are　
particularly popular during the summer.

We usually dip them in "mentsuyu"
with some ginger or "shiso" for zest.

"Somen" are made from wheat flour,
salt, and water.

The dough is stretched to a length of 10
meters and made into very fine strands.

They're coated with sesame oil
to prevent them from drying out.

This makes it possible to
stretch them to just 1 mm in diameter.

They're smooth enough to
slide down your throat.

Because of their simple flavor,
they can be used in countless recipes.

Sprinkle the noodles into a pot of boiling water, and stir with chopsticks to keep them from sticking together.

Refer to the suggested cooking time on the packages of the noodles.

It usually takes only a minute or two.

Empty into a colander.

Place immediately in
a bowl of cold water.

Stir with chopsticks to firm up.

Cool thoroughly.

Okay.

Once they're chilled, remove the colander from the bowl and rub the noodles together.

This is to remove the excess sesame oil.

Rinse in the bowl.

I never knew that they use sesame oil.

The noodles are stretchy so they won't tear, even if you rub them firmly while rinsing.

Repeat this process two or three times, and you're done.

The noodles are quite firm and smooth.

You don't want watery noodles.
So, drain them thoroughly.

Okay.

"Somen" is done.

We're now ready to combine the "somen" with the zesty "mentsuyu" dressing.

Add the properly drained "somen" to the bowl of dressing.

- Oh, we put in the dressing.
- Dressing.

- Oh nice.
- And mix well.

Add half the basil and save the rest for garnish.

Add salt to taste and sprinkle with pepper to give it a kick.

Make sure to use white pepper if you don't want any black specks.

- The colors are so pretty.
- So pretty.

Divide the "somen" into small quantities to plate.

Adding the "somen" bit by bit
makes them easier to eat with chopsticks.

That's such a great idea Dividing the noodles into small quantities also keeps them from getting tangled up,

so they're easier to eat with chopsticks.

Drizzle with more dressing.

Chef, I think it's a great idea that you added the lemon fruit.

Yeah.

It adds a little color to it. That's nice.

Oh, that really makes you hungry.

Top with basil and the "somen" is ready to serve.

Okay, ...and finished!

And now for crispy fritters, made with new potatoes, which are in season from spring to summer, horse mackerel, and "mitsuba."

So next dish we are going to use new potatoes.

Yes, in Japan new potatoes season is May to July.

That's right.

And I guess the big different between the regular potato and new potatoes is that new potatoes are more moist and I guess they contain more water.

Yes, today deep fry.

Huh, so we are going to start thing with horse mackerel.

Like Japanese fish and chips.

Interesting.

- Yes, first prepare horse mackerel.
- Okay.

You can also use other bluefish
or salmon.

Whatever fish you like.
Chicken breast goes well, too.

The horse mackerel should be fresh enough to be eat as "sashimi."

The skin is slippery and is difficult to coat with batter, so it needs to be removed.

Here is our Chef's Technique!

It's easier to skin the fish if you start from the head first.

Start from the head end.

As you peel off the skin, hold the fish down with your thumb and index finger.

And, work slowly.

Little by little?

Yes, while holding it down, like this.

Wow amazing!

Okay. I will try it!

- So from the corner like so?
- Yes.

Hold it down.

What happens if you don't take the skin off?

It makes it easier to coat.

It's more tender with the skin off and goes better with new potatoes.

I see... Oh!

- There we go! Yeah, chef!
- Good job.

Cut diagonally into 1 cm slices.

Oh, very thinly and diagonally.

- Diagonally.
- Okay.

Make sure they're about the same width.

Okay, just make sure that it's all together like the same size.

Okay, next cut the new potatoes.

The season for new potatoes in Japan is from spring to summer.

They have a high moisture content.

When fried, they become addictively soft and fluffy.

Okay, how should be cut them?

You want a bit of texture.

So, slightly smaller
than the horse mackerel.

When cutting the potatoes, you need to keep in mind that the fish will shrink when fried.

So, cut them into 7 to 8 mm slices.

Soak the potatoes in water to remove the surface starch.

Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

We're going to add some "mitsuba", a Japanese herb with a clean, refreshing taste and aroma.

Cut the "mitsuba" into 3 cm lengths.

If your local supermarket doesn't have "mitsuba", you can substitute with drop-wort or watercress.

So chef, I love "mitsuba", but I also love watercress.

So, Yu is going to use watercress cut into 3 cm lengths instead of "mitsuba."

- So chef, we are going to make the batter for deep frying?
- Yes.

Mix the egg yolk and water..., and then add the flour.

We want to bind the ingredients together,
so mix well to form gluten.

Add more flour than usual
for the fish and chips.

Yeah.

This is good.

- And we can mix mix?
- Mix mix mix...yeah, Because we want the gluten come out.

- Okay.
- Okay, good!

Put the sliced potatoes, horse mackerel and "mitsuba" into a bowl.

And, flour.

Why do we need this flour?

The flour will bind everything
together like glue.

Okay. Oh, then we mix this.

Mix well to coat evenly with flour.

And then..., add the batter.

Add the batter..., and mix.

And mix well.

Okay, we don't wanna to be drenched or swimming in it.

- Mix well.
- Mix well.

Until it's all coated in batter.

Okay.

Fold the ingredients into the batter so that there's no residual batter at the bottom of the bowl.

If there's any leftover batter,
add more flour.

- What you think? I think it's Okay.
- Good, Okay.

Are we ready to fry?

Yes let's fry!

Heat the frying oil to 160 degrees Celsius.

You can test using a small bit of batter.

As the ingredients have a high moisture
content, fry slowly over low heat.

Make sure the ingredients
are evenly dispersed.

You want the medley of flavors
to burst in your mouth.

I see, fish and chips all in one bite.

Try to shape into bite-size fritters.

Use a small spoon to shape into bite-size fritters that contain equal amounts of everything, then gently slide into the oil.

Wait for the fritters to set before flipping them over.

Put into the slowly slowly slowly.

Once they've started to set,
flip them over carefully.

You don't want them to fall apart.

Fry for about 4 minutes, flipping them over every now and then.

Once they're done, remove and drain.

- I like the green in there makes it very...
- Nice accent.

- Yeah, gives a little nice accent.
- Okay.

Now it's your turn, Yu.

Make it small.

And slowly.

Slowly.

Okay, this makes me nervous.

Be careful stay together.

Oh, okay.

Slowly slowly..., okay.

So, I guess the key is that slide it in.

Yeah. Okay, enough.

Be careful not to crowd the fritters.

You don't want the oil temperature to drop.

Once they've started to set, flip them over gently so that they don't fall apart.

Okay, looks so good!

Fry for 4 minutes to cook through.

Looks good. Drain them well.

- Okay, good job.
- Thank you, chef.

Perfect.

Sprinkle with salt while they're still piping hot.

- It's done!
- It's done. Okay. Let's arrange to serve!

Yes.

We're going to garnish the dish with "sudachi," a Japanese citrus fruit with a refreshing zest and aroma.

Chef Saito is going to give it a summery look.

Trim both ends and peel around the middle.

Cut across in half and remove the seeds.

The white gives it a nice breezy look.

Now for the plating.

I think I'm really happy. Look how it turned out.

Color balance is an important factor in food presentation.

So how's it going, Yu?

All right. Okay, chef.

Okay, like mountain.

I made it like a tower.

And... It's... Finished!

Both dishes are now ready to serve.

Enjoy the colorful fusion of East and West.

Lst's eat!

Chef, today's dishes again look wonderful.

Very colorful. And although I know they're Japanese dishes, something about it seems Italian.

So we have tomatoes and these lemons and basil.

- Wow! So "dashi" with olive oil.
- Yes.

And because there's "somen" noodles I can slurp.

- Mm hmm.
- How that?

Wow! So refreshing. Very nice.

Of course, the "somen" sauce you've made is wonderful "four-one-one" because you add olive oil add the bit of depth to it.

That's because of the "dashi."
It brings everything together.

And because you added the lemon juice, it becomes very refreshing.

And I know it's different because you added the tomatoes to the sauce ahead of time.

It really tastes like tomatoes.

The different ingredients create
a synergy of flavors.

And the "dashi" mellows it down.

And it has a little kick to it.

What is this now? Oh, white pepper?

Yes.

I like it. It's very nice.

Interesting. Thank you. Try the fried fish and potatoes.

Yes. Wow!

It's like a flavor bomb.

I love the texture that the new potatoes have, but then you have that nice softness from the fish.

Which adds a depth of flavor.

And it's as though it just explodes in your mouth.

- Different texture and flavor.
- I see.

- This is grate combination.
- Yeah.

You can try the "sudachi."

Okay, I'm going to add a little bit of "sudachi.

So if you can't find the "sudachi" can we use lemon or lime?

- Yeah.
- Yeah, it's okay?

- But my favorite is "sudachi."
- Yes, I know.

Okay, so here we go!

It smells so nice "sudachi."

Mm hmm.

So good.

Just salt, and "sudachi."

Oh, that's really good.

I think we need the "sudachi" it on that, too.

Do you like "sudachi" ?

It brings it up to another level. Right.

Mmm... That's amazing.

Today's dishes are a variation
on Japanese cuisine.

I used olive oil, basil, lemon, and
tomatoes to make the "somen" dressing.

But the base is still "dashi."

And the bite-size fritters are
easy to eat with chopsticks.

They showcase a variety of
cooking techniques.

Japanese cuisine is actually
quite versatile.

You can use Japanese ingredients and
techniques in all kinds of cuisines.

Give it a try!

Well, thank you so much, Chef Saito, for teaching us today.

- That's amazing.
- Cooking is funny, very interesting Eye opening.

Thank you for joining me.

- Okay.
- Yes.

Woo! So refreshing!

Okay, let's review today's recipes.

First, the lemon "somen."

Prepare the tomatoes, basil, and lemon.

Combine the "mentsuyu" with lemon juice, olive oil, diced lemon pulp, and tomatoes.

Boil the "somen" and rub off any excess oil.

Combine with the sauce and garnish with basil.

Next, the Japanese-style fish and chips.

Skin the horse mackerel fillets and cut into strips.

Combine with the new potatoes and "mitsuba" and sprinkle with flour.

Coat with the mixed egg and flour batter.

Use a spoon to form into bite-size fritters and fry until crisp.

Serve and garnish with "sudachi."

These unique dishes can be made at your house, why not try them?