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Cold Ramen Salad with Soy and Sesame Dressing (Hiyashi Chuka)

Cold Ramen Salad with Soy and Sesame Dressing (Hiyashi Chuka)

By Rose HattabaughApril 25, 2023

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    45 minutes
  • Rating

Vibrant and refreshing, the chilled noodle dish known as hiyashi chuka is a Japanese staple during the hot summer months. Hiyashi chuka translates as “cold Chinese noodles”—chuka is the word for Chinese-style noodles as well as an alias for ramen. Essentially a composed salad, it features cold ramen with a medley of colorful toppings to be tossed into the noodles at the table, just before eating. We’ve chosen ham, thinly sliced omelet, sliced scallions, juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumber matchsticks. The dish is flexible, so feel free to experiment with the toppings. Some versions of hiyashi chuka are served with a richer dressing that includes sesame paste, though we opted for a lighter one made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and a little sugar; this imparts savory-tangy-sweet flavors to the noodles. Plating individual portions is the classic Japanese way to serve hiyashi chuka, though we also include an option for serving family style. To snip the nori use kitchen shears or scissors.

Tip

Don’t skip the step of draining the noodles well to remove excess water that otherwise would dilute the dressing.

Ingredients
  • 4 ½

    tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

  • ¼

    cup soy sauce

  • 1 ½

    tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, divided

  • 1

    tablespoon mirin

  • 2

    tablespoons white sugar

  • 1-2

    teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger

  • 1 ½

    tablespoons sesame seeds

  • 2

    large eggs, lightly beaten

  • ½

    English cucumber

  • 10

    ounces non-instant dried ramen noodles

  • 4

    ounces sliced deli ham, cut into ¼-inch strips

  • 3

    scallions, thinly sliced on a sharp diagonal

  • 1

    cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

  • 1

    0.35-ounce package roasted seaweed snacks, snipped with kitchen shears into thin strips (optional)

Step 1

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, 1½ tablespoons sesame oil, the mirin, sugar, ginger and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk until the sugar dissolves; set aside.

Step 2

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium, toast the sesame seeds, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Step 3

In the same skillet over medium, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil until shimmering. Add the eggs and swirl the pan to distribute into a thin, even layer. Cook, without stirring, until the surface is almost dry and the bottom is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Slide the eggs onto a cutting board. Cool, then cut into 3 strips; stack the strips and slice into ¼-inch ribbons. Thinly slice the cucumber on the diagonal, then stack several slices and cut lengthwise into matchsticks. Repeat with the remaining slices.

Step 4

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add the ramen and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, then drain in a colander. Rinse under cold water, tossing well, until fully cooled, then drain again.

Step 5

Divide the noodles among 4 shallow serving bowls, then arrange the eggs, ham, scallions, tomatoes and cucumber on top in separate piles, evenly dividing the ingredients. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Stir the dressing to recombine, then drizzle about 3 tablespoons over around each portion. Mound seaweed snacks (if using) in the center of each portion. (Alternatively, to serve family style, assemble the salad on a single serving dish; toss to combine at the table, just before serving).

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