Nourish: Cold Tomato Somen
August 5, 2025
As summer days settle in and the heat lingers longer, this dish feels just right - something that complements the peak of the season. Light, savoury, and quietly complex, this cold tomato somen is the kind of dish we return to on warm afternoons. The base is a chilled dashi broth enriched with freshly grated tomatoes - cool, clean, and umami-rich. Served over somen noodles and topped with fresh shiso, it’s a dish that refreshes and satisfies in equal measure.
It comes together quickly with minimal heat, making it ideal for slow, quiet days when the kitchen calls for something effortless.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe tomatoes (plus extra for topping), peeled if desired
- 2 tablespoons of mirin
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 300 milliliters of cup cold dashi
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 180 grams of somen noodles (2 bundles)
- Fresh shiso leaves, finely sliced, to garnish
- Sesame seeds for garnish
*Serves 2
Steps
- Grate the tomatoes into a bowl, reserving a small portion for topping.
- In a separate bowl, mix cold dashi with mirin, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in most of the grated tomato and chill the broth in the fridge or it can also be enjoyed as it is, or with ice cubes.
- Cook the somen noodles according to package instructions then cool under running water and finish in an ice bath until the noodles are fully chilled and firm.
- Divide the noodles into two bowls and pour over the chilled tomato-dashi broth. Top with the remaining grated tomato and a generous sprinkle of finely sliced shiso and top with sesame seeds. Serve cold.
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