Illustrations by Kaki Okumura
Consider a soba salad with cucumber, carrots, hijiki, and greens
It’s getting very hot and sunny in Tokyo, and my walks outside are beginning to feel like afternoons by the poolside. On days like this, I feel a bit drowsy, and thinking about dinner becomes a chore that my brain isn’t quite ready to address.
When I don’t have the energy to think about something creative or new to cook, I have a few go-to easy and foolproof meals. I’m in need of something refreshing, light, and easy to make, easy to plate.
“What should we make for dinner?” I asked my sister.
“Soba salad?”
Soba salad is a summer favorite in my household because it’s refreshing and light — and a salad, but not really a salad at the same time. All it takes is combining some fresh crisp vegetables with some shredded leek-ginger chicken, served on a bed of cold and firm-to-bite soba noodles. Drizzled with a salty and not-so-sweet sesame sauce, it’s perfect to please almost all palates, whether your taste buds are accustomed to Japanese flavors or Western ones.
While there are lots of ingredients involved, it’s mostly just chopping, so if you can get an extra one or two pairs of hands in the kitchen to help out, there is no reason for the entire process to take more than 30 minutes.
Refreshing Summer Soba Salad
Serves: 4
The great thing about soba salad is that while there is the original version of the dish, you can compromise and adjust to whatever is in your fridge or to whatever you are in the mood for. Use iceberg lettuce, add wakame, replace the chicken for some boiled eggs or shrimp — explore your fridge and don’t fuss over the small details; it’ll still turn out pretty well.
It’s great for those hot summer days when you need something simple, reliable, and crowd-pleasing yet healthy. Soba salad holds a special place in my repertoire of recipes. It’s the perfect refreshing ending to a long, sleepy day, and I hope you try it and taste it for yourself.
Ingredients
- 2 bundles butter lettuce
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 2 Japanese cucumbers, julienned
- 10g dried hijiki (*Make sure to rehydrate your hijiki beforehand, which takes approximately 30 minutes—it will double to triple in volume!)
- 80g broccoli sprouts
- 400g chicken breast
- A few slices ginger (optional)
- A few slices leek (optional)
- 450g dry soba noodles (if using fresh noodles, about 500g)
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Ingredients for dressing
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 90ml rice vinegar
- 60ml noodle soup base
- 30ml soy sauce
- 60ml sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon gochujang — for a spicier dressing (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables.
- Rehydrate your hijiki, according to instructions on the package.
- Wash and chop the butter lettuce leaves; dry in salad spinner.
- Wash and remove the bottom from broccoli sprouts; dry in salad spinner.
- Wash, peel, and julienne the carrots.
- Wash and julienne the cucumbers.
Prepare the chicken.
- In a saucepan or pot, place chicken breasts flat and top with aromatics and some salt. Cover with water.
- Bring to a boil, and then lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes (Tip: I use an instant-read thermometer, and begin checking for doneness at around 8 minutes, until it reaches 165°F.)
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board, let cool, and then shred with a fork.
Prepare the noodles
Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook soba noodles for 4–5 minutes or according to instructions on the pack. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
Prepare the dressing
In a bowl, combine ingredients and whisk to mix well. (Tip: I like to use a Mason jar, and then shake it, so if I have leftover dressing I can just store it in the container.)
Put it all together!
Soba noodles on the bottom, top with fresh vegetables and shredded chicken, drizzle on the dressing, and garnish with sesame seeds.
If you have questions about the recipe or want to know more, please feel free to email me at kokumura@kakikata.space! I hope to support people with their own health goals, and help them explore a way of eating that is in line with their principles and interests 😊🌱
Warm regards,
Kaki
