Recipe
[Miyuki Igarashi Joins] Tomato Somen Salad: Rokusaburo Michiba's Home Cooking Recipe #136
![[Miyuki Igarashi Joins] Tomato Somen Salad: Rokusaburo Michiba's Home Cooking Recipe #136](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zOdH6U6sZco/hqdefault.jpg)
Ingredients
- Tomatoes,to taste
- Cucumber,to taste
- Onion,to taste
- Groundbeef and pork mix, to taste
- Somennoodles, to taste
- Watercress,to taste
- Ponzu,3 tbsp
- Sake,2 tbsp
- Mirin,2 tbsp (extra for dressing)
- Soysauce, 1 tbsp
- Oliveoil, 1 tbsp
- Mentsuyu,to taste
- Gingerjuice, to taste
About "Tomato Somen Salad"
Rokusaburo Michiba's Tomato Somen Salad is a refreshing dish packed with attention to detail, starting with peeling the tomatoes. The minced meat is seasoned with a golden ratio of sake, mirin, and soy sauce (3:2:1), then strained to remove excess fat, and paired with somen noodles pre-seasoned with mentsuyu. A dressing of ponzu, mirin, and olive oil (3:2:1) ties everything together for a light, refreshing finish.
Tips for Making "Tomato Somen Salad"
-
Prep
- Peel even cherry tomatoes to ensure a smooth texture
-
Prep
- Soak sliced onions in water to remove sharpness
-
Seasoning
- Mix sake, mirin, and soy sauce in a 3:2:1 golden ratio with the raw meat before cooking
-
Heat control
- Strain cooked meat through a sieve to remove excess fat and moisture, preventing greasiness when mixed with fresh vegetables
-
Cooking method
- Dip somen tips in boiling water to gelatinize and bind them before boiling the rest for about 1 minute
-
Pre-seasoning
- Wash chilled somen in mentsuyu to pre-season, infusing flavor and preventing wateriness
-
Seasoning
- Combine ponzu, mirin, and olive oil in a 3:2:1 ratio for the dressing
Ingredients for "Tomato Somen Salad"
13 items* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon
How to Make "Tomato Somen Salad"
- 1
Peel the tomatoes
Make a cross-shaped incision at the bottom of each tomato, submerge them in boiling water, and peel. Even for cherry tomatoes, always peel them to ensure a smooth texture.
- 2
Cut the vegetables
Finely dice the cucumber and tomatoes. Thinly slice the onion and soak it in water to remove its sharpness.
- 3
Make the minced meat topping
Place the ground meat in a bowl and, while still raw before heating, add sake, mirin, and soy sauce in a golden ratio of 3:2:1. Add ginger juice, mix well, and cook thoroughly in a frying pan. After cooking, strain through a mesh sieve to remove excess fat and moisture.
- 4
Boil the somen noodles
Dip just the tips of the somen noodles into boiling water to gelatinize them, binding them together so they don't scatter, then submerge the rest. Boil for about 1 minute.
- 5
Season the somen noodles
After chilling the boiled somen thoroughly in cold water, dip them directly into mentsuyu as if 'washing' the noodles to pre-season them. This infuses flavor into the noodles and prevents them from becoming watery.
- 6
Plate the somen noodles
Cut off the bound ends of the pre-seasoned somen and arrange them beautifully in a flowing shape on a plate.
- 7
Make the dressing
In a bowl, combine the finely diced onion, cucumber, and tomatoes. Drizzle with a dressing made of ponzu, mirin, and olive oil in a 3:2:1 ratio, and toss well.
- 8
Combine the ingredients
Add the strained minced meat (about a quarter of the volume of the vegetables) and toss gently to combine.
- 9
Finish and serve
Generously spoon the chunky sauce next to the plated somen. Garnish with watercress and a halved sudachi citrus.
Food Science
Combining the abundant glutamic acid in tomatoes with the inosilic acid in the ground meat creates a synergistic umami effect, dramatically boosting the overall richness of the dish. Furthermore, the acidity of the ponzu, the sweetness of the tomatoes and mirin, the saltiness of the soy sauce, and the bitterness of the watercress come together to balance the five basic tastes, resulting in a light yet deeply flavorful dish.
Detailed Commentary on "Tomato Somen Salad"
* Content organized by topics from the video.
Chef Miyuki Igarashi's Move to Atami
The video starts in a warm, friendly atmosphere with guest Chef Miyuki Igarashi of the Chinese restaurant 'Miyu.' Chef Igarashi now has a location in Atami, a move prompted by a major decision during the pandemic. Originally based in Ginza, she decided to relocate to her husband's hometown of Atami when the future became uncertain due to COVID-19. In a heartwarming turn of events, her entire staff insisted, 'We don't care about the pay, we just want to work,' and moved to Atami together. Today, Atami is thriving, buzzing with young people and tourists like a seaside Harajuku.
Michiba's Meticulous Vegetable Prep
The theme for this episode is 'Eggplant and Tomato.' Going second, Rokusaburo Michiba presents his 'Tomato Somen Salad.' The cooking begins with peeling the tomatoes. Michiba is so committed to a smooth texture that he always peels even cherry tomatoes. Next, he cuts the cucumber and slices the onion, soaking the latter in water to remove its sharpness. The cucumber and tomatoes are finely diced. When the assistant introduces this as 'another new creation by the master,' Chef Igarashi is astonished: 'Is it a new dish every single time?' It is revealed that Michiba 'never wants to do the same thing twice,' showcasing his relentless culinary curiosity.
Special Minced Meat with a 3:2:1 Ratio
Next, they prepare the minced meat topping that adds accent to the salad. Using a ground beef and pork mix, Michiba shows his practical side, saying, 'I make things with whatever is on hand, so I don't fuss over the type of meat.' The key to seasoning is mixing the ingredients while the meat is still raw. He adds sake, mirin, and soy sauce in a '3:2:1' golden ratio, along with ginger juice, and mixes thoroughly. After cooking it well in a frying pan, he applies a signature Michiba touch: straining the cooked minced meat through a sieve to thoroughly remove excess fat and moisture. This step is the secret to keeping the fresh vegetables crisp and flavorful without getting greasy.
Michiba's Somen Boiling & Seasoning Tips
Next, they boil the main component, the somen noodles. Michiba's unique technique involves dipping just the tips of the somen into boiling water to gelatinize them, binding them together so they don't scatter before submerging the rest. The boiling time is about 1 minute. After chilling the cooked somen thoroughly in cold water, he surprisingly dips them directly into mentsuyu, 'washing' the noodles to pre-season them. This infuses a subtle flavor into the noodles and prevents them from becoming watery. The pre-seasoned somen have their bound ends trimmed off and are plated in a beautiful, flowing presentation.
Ponzu Dressing and Final Assembly
They prepare the salad dressing using a ponzu base. He combines ponzu, mirin, and olive oil in another '3:2:1' ratio. This special dressing is drizzled over the bowl of finely diced onion, cucumber, and tomato, and tossed well. Next, he adds the strained minced meat (about one-quarter of the volume of the vegetables) and gently folds everything together. This chunky sauce is generously spooned next to the plated somen. Garnish with watercress and a halved sudachi citrus to complete a vibrant, refreshing dish.
Tasting the Masterpiece Made Without Tasting
The finished dish is tasted by Michiba, Chef Igarashi, and Michiba's second daughter, Teruko. Having not tasted the dish once during cooking, Michiba says, 'I think it's good,' with a hint of worry. However, upon taking a bite, Chef Igarashi praises it highly: 'Delicious! It's even better than I imagined!' Because the minced meat was strained, it is not greasy at all despite containing meat, offering a light, salad-like experience. Teruko also enjoys it, noting, 'It feels so healthy.' Everyone is deeply impressed by the Iron Chef's ability to create a perfectly balanced recipe entirely in his head without even tasting it.
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