No12 [Cooking] Hiyashi chuuka (chilled Chinese style noodles)

Hiyashi chuuka (chilled Chinese style noodles)

Japan has many dishes that are linked to particular seasons throughout the year. The summer in Japan can get extremely hot and a lot of people lose some of their appetite due to the heat.
This month we introduce “hiyashi chuuka”, one of the most iconic Japanese summer meals that is eaten to beat the heat. For those not familiar with the dish it can simply be summed up as chilled Chinese style ramen noodles.

“Hiyashi chuuka” is a summer noodle dish that is made by adding various toppings such as ham, omelette and vegetables (cucumber, tomato, etc) to a bed of chilled Chinese noodles and then pouring or a cold soup instead of the more usual hot one. The dish is one of the most popular items at Japanese convenience stores throughout the summer months and it is added to the menu of most Chinese restaurants as soon as the season comes around, often with a poster proudly proclaiming that “Hiyashi chuuka is now available! put up on the walls. This really is one of the foods that make the summer for Japanese people available.”

This month’s ZOOM JAPAN presents a quick and easy “hiyashi chuuka” that anyone can make at home. Let’s hope that UK gets a hot summer this year too!

Ingredients:
1x packet of “Itsuki no oishii hiyashi chuuka mix”

Favourite toppings recommended by ZOOM Japan
– cucumber
– tomatoes
– Pieces of lightly cooked omelette
– ham
– chicken or tuna makes a great alternative to ham and avocado is also another excellent topping to try.

How to prepare:
1. Put half a bag of noodles into approximately 1 litre of boiling water and boil for around 4 to 5 minutes on a high heat.
2. Once the noodles have finished boiling, immediately drain the water and wash them down with fresh cold water before placing in a sieve to drain.
3. Transfer the noodles to dish and then add the toppings before mixing the whole packet of the soup and every drizzling it on.
4. You hiyashi chuuka is now ready to serve.

Japan Centre