Smoked Chinese-style Cold Noodle

Smoked Hiyashi Chuka

Smoked toppings give such a tasty and unique upgrade to the popular summer dish. This dish has not only been a summer hit at my home, but I actually like to make it whenever I want all year round. The yuzu-flavored broth is so refreshing and creates a nice balance with the smoked toppings. For me, Yuzu-Kosho is an essential addition to add a nice kick to this dish, but it’s totally optional for those who prefer a less spicy flavor.

Vegan option

Substitute chicken and egg with more vegetables

Equipment

Ibushi Gin (Large)

and Fukkura-san (Large)

Servings

Ingredients

4 medium strips chicken tender
1 tablespoon liquid shio-koji
4 eggs
1 ear corn
1 medium cucumber, julienned
chopped cilantro
1 serrano chili, thinly-sliced crosswise (optional)
Yuzu-kosho, for serving (optional)

Yuzu-flavored Sauce

1/2 cup (120 ml) kombu and bonito dashi or your choice of dashi
2 tablespoon raw brown sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh yuzu juice
2 tablespoon sesame oil

4 servings ramen noodles
4 teaspoons sesame oil
4 teaspoons roasted golden sesame seeds

Other things you need:

a piece of aluminum foil
a small handful (about 1/3 oz or 8 g) of smoke chips

Procedure

Marinate the chicken in liquid shio-koji for a few hours (or at least 30 minutes). Pat dry well with paper towel. Set aside.
Grill the corn until it’s just cooked through and partially browned. *Suggested method is to do so in a Fukkura-san donabe. Line the skillet with a piece of aluminum foil (for easy cleaning) and place the corn. Cover with lid and set over medium-high heat. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes. Meanwhile, rotate the corn a few times. Remove from the heat and let it cool down.
Cut the corn in half crosswise, then cut each into half lengthwise. Set aside.
Boil the eggs until the yolks are soft to medium-soft stage. Peel and pat dry with paper towel. Set aside.
Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. Set aside.
Line the bottom of an Ibushi Gin with a piece of aluminum foil. Spread the smoke chips so that they make a ring shape. Make sure the foil is tightly attached to the bottom.
Set the ingredients on the racks in Ibushi Gin in the order of the chicken tender (bottom rack), eggs (middle rack), and corn.
Set Ibushi Gin (with no lid) over high heat. Wait until the chips starts smoking (about 5 minutes).
Cover with lid and pour water into the rim surrounding the lid. Continue to heat for 6 – 7 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let it rest (with lid on) for 15 minutes.
Slice the chicken tender into bite-size pieces. Cut the eggs in half. Cut the corn kernels from the cob. Set aside.
Cook the noodles according to the package’s instructions. Rinse in cold water and drain well.
Divide the noodles into four bowls. For each, drizzle 1 teaspoon sesame oil and sprinkle 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and toss.
Decorate the noodles with all the smoked ingredients, cucumber, cilantro, and serrano chili. Pour about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the sauce over each bowl and serve with yuzu-kosho on the side.