Last year I featured shaved ice, somen, plus a tale of my visit to a somen noodle company.
In addition to these summer favorites 素麺, hiyashi chuka soba 冷やし中華そば and unagi 鰻 (grilled eel) are also beloved summer fubutsushi (seasonal foods).
Despite its name, hiyashi chuka soba is not a soba noodle dish but a chilled ramen dish. While inspired by Chinese cuisine, this cold version does not exist in China itself. A Japanese noodle shop developed it in the 1930s to adapt hot ramen noodle soup to Japan's hot and humid summer climate.
The sauce is a refreshing blend of chicken stock, shoyu (soy sauce), sugar, and rice vinegar. The noodles are cooked, rinsed, and cooled, then the sauce is poured over, creating a cooling meal perfect for summer.
Hiyashi chuka is strictly a seasonal dish.
Every summer, restaurants announce its arrival with signs or banners at their entrances proclaiming, “We have started serving Hiyashi Chuka Soba!”
Traditional toppings include cucumber, tomato, egg, chashu pork, and pickled red ginger. Other popular additions are blanched moyashi (bean sprouts), shrimp, scallops, snow peas, and braised shiitake mushrooms.
A small dab of Japanese mustard, as shown in this hiyashi chuka soba dish, is an essential condiment. Its sharp heat adds depth and complexity to the cold chicken stock–based sauce.
Do you own The Japanese Kitchen: 250 Recipes in a Traditional Spirit?
The original hiyashi chuka soba recipe appears in the book, but I have included a revised version in my recipe catalog, here.
Before summer comes to an end, I encourage you to give hiyashi chuka soba a try. Ramen has become a global favorite, but its summer sister remains relatively unknown or mixed with tsukemen (noodles with dipping sauce) outside Japan.
If you make it, please send me your photos and let me know what you think of hiyashi chuka soba!
