I’ll be honest: This recipe Naomi shared with us is for a committed home cook. Why? Because the first step is to make shio dare, a flavor base used more often as the foundation for a bowl of hot ramen soup. If you don’t mind a small project, jump over to the shio dare recipe, make a batch, and then make this, which might be my favorite cold noodle salad that exists! (Once the shio dare is made, this is a literal breeze.) Naomi Molstrom goes all the way in her commitment to crunch. The chewiness of Umi noodles is so outstanding in this dish, and the contrast with all the crunchy vegetables makes this a textural delight.
Read moreNaomi's Cold Ramen
"I love ramen, period. I love to eat ramen year round, rain or shine, hot or cold. The key to enjoying cold ramen is skimming fat off of the chicken broth very carefully and using Japanese dashi to add umami to the soup."
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I was delighted when I experimented by using our Organic Yakisoba Sauce in place of classic Otafuku or Bulldog Okonomiyaki Sauce. It works like a dream! In fact, I insist: try it out! It’s so special!
In the Kansai region, where okonomiyaki was invented and where I lived (Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe are all within Kansai), the ingredients are all mixed together and cooked as one mass. Many regions have their own adaptations—the other most famous style comes from Hiroshima—but the Kansai version is the easiest to make. I like to eat this with rice and miso soup.