hiyashi chuka (japanese style chinese cold noodle)

This dish is perfect for hot summer days or when you don't have appetite. It's very colorful to look at and just like temaki sushi, you can make it as fancy as you want or just have basic ingredients. If you are not a fan of cold food, serve it warm. It tastes still good. :)

Ingredients:

Yellow noodle (thin) - 2 lbs (*see TIPS)
Sesame oil - 2 tsp

Japanese/Persian/English Cucumber - 2 (thinly sliced)
Tomatoes - 1 (thinly sliced)
Kamaboko (fish cake) - 1 (thinly sliced)
Eggs - 2 (beaten)
Chicken breast - 1 (cooked & sliced)
Green onion - 2 stalks (chopped)

[Sauce]
Hot water - 2 cups
Dashi - 2 tsp (optional)
Soy sauce - 1/3 cup
Rice vinegar or regular vinegar - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 2-3 TBS
Sesame seeds - 2 TBS
Sesame oil - 1 tsp
Salt - dash

Gomadare (Japanese sesame sauce for shabu shabu)

[Optional ingredients]
Nori (dried seaweed) - however much
Shrimp - (cooked & shelled)
Ham - (thinly sliced)
Shiitake mushroom - (thinly sliced)

Prep: 

1. In a small pot, bring water to boil. Add chicken and cook for 9-10 minutes. Take it out and let it cool. 
2. Cut other ingredients in thin slices.
3. Beat the eggs and add dash of salt. Set it aside. 
4. Combine hot water (2 cups) with dashi. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Adjust the taste by adding more sugar, salt, soy sauce, or vinegar. 

  Cook:

1. Oil the frying pan with little bit of olive oil. When it's hot, pour some egg mixture (thin layer). Let it cook for couple of minutes. Flip it if the other seems not done. Take it out on a chopping board. Repeat with the rest of the egg mixture (should make 3 thin layers) 
2. In a pot, boil water (about 5 cups). When it's boiling, add the noodles. Cook for 2-3 minutes. If you are using spaghetti, cook as directed. When the noodle is done, drain and add 2 tsp of sesame oil and toss to coat.
3. Slice the cooked chicken.  

Serve:

1. In a bowl, put noodle. Place other ingredients (decorate it however you want). 
2. Before eating, pour the sauce over. Mix well and eat. 
3. The shabu shabu gomadare (sesame sauce) will make the dish more creamy. If you like sesame taste, it's a great addition. 

TIPS

• We usually use yakisoba noodle (thin yellow noodle). But Taiwanese noodle also works perfectly. 
• Can't find yellow noodles? No worries! You can use spaghetti noodle.