Umeboshi and Chicken Summer Soba

In the heat of the summer we find ourselves craving tart and sour foods as they are refreshing. Cold noodles are also a staple this time of year. Soba and somen noodles are often served with a soy sauce dipping sauce called tsuyu. This recipe was on NHK recently and it looked so good we made it the next day.

This chilled soba recipe is a one dish meal. Ground chicken is sautéed and set aside to cool. Cucumbers are sliced thin, sprinkled with salt and after resting for a few minutes squeezes of its excess water. Aromatic myōga are sliced thin. Combine the cooked chicken, cucumbers, and myōga in a bowl and season with some neriumé (uméboshi paste). Top the mixture over cold soba noodles and add a small amount of tsuyu.

It's a nice change-up to the simple version of soba. The meaty and crunchy vegetables are a nice contrast and it's all brought together with puckering tart uméboshi.

Myoga, Okra, and Cucumber Miso Soup

The markets are overflowing with crunchy vegetables like crisp cucumbers, myōga, and okra. The combination in miso soup is a nice break from our routine of wakamé and tōfu. The myōga, like a gentle ginger, is aromatic and is crispy. A great contrast to the okra that becomes a bit slippery when warmed up. Thin sliced cucumber added at the last minute adds a unique flavor to miso soup.