Somen
Somen
Somen are Japan's finest noodles, thin white wheat noodles, typically less than 1.3 mm in diameter, served cold with a light dipping broth during the summer months. They cook in under two minutes, are refreshingly light and carry a delicate flavour that makes them the perfect counterpart to the bold, umami-rich tsuyu dipping sauce they are traditionally served with. Alongside the classic chilled somen with mentsuyu, they also appear in nagashi somen, the spectacular tradition of catching noodles flowing down a bamboo flume with chopsticks, and in various regional preparations throughout Japan.
The tools for somen preparation are minimal but specific. A large pot with enough capacity to boil noodles without them sticking together, combined with a colander for draining quickly, are the basics. After boiling, the noodles need to be rinsed under cold running water and, if not eaten immediately, kept in a bowl of ice water to prevent them from sticking together. A dedicated somen serving set, typically a glass or ceramic bowl with matching dipping cups, elevates the presentation significantly and is part of the summer dining aesthetic that somen represents in Japan.
Nagashi somen machines, which recreate the bamboo flume experience at the table using a small electric water pump, are also available in this collection and represent a genuinely fun and unusual dining experience for families and groups. They are a staple of Japanese summer entertaining and a conversation piece that guests consistently remember.
The condiments and dipping sauce components for somen, tsuyu concentrate, grated ginger, finely sliced spring onion, myoga and sesame, are covered in the ingredients section of the collection.
Discover more in our subcategories:
Serve in our bowls and use our condiment dispensers for the dipping sauce.
Showing 17 products
AVAILABILITY: In stock (2 items)
Key features: Famous Kutani porcelain: Handcrafted from renowned Kutani porcelain, renowned for its beauty and rich cultural heritage, adding a touch of elegance to your kitchen. Ideal for Japanese sauces: Perfect for storing and dispensing soy sauce, ponzu, hot sauces,...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (499 items)
The Soba Serving Plate, a round Japanese plate for presenting zaru soba and other cold noodles, just as they are served in Japanese soba restaurants. Light ABS resin, easy to handle and to clean. Traditional Utensil Style Zaru Soba Noodle...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (-1 items)
The Konebachi Bowl is a large Japanese mixing bowl in lightweight ABS resin with a red and black lacquer-style finish, traditionally used for kneading soba and udon dough. Its generous size and smooth urethane-coated interior make it ideal for bread...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (0 items)
The Knife Sobakiri / Udonkiri is a traditional Japanese rectangular blade knife designed for cutting soba and udon noodle dough cleanly and precisely after rolling. Type Sobakiri / Udonkiri noodle knife Use Cutting soba and udon noodle dough Origin Japan...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (498 items)
The Hasami Soba Choko Gift Set, small Hasami porcelain cups in the classic choko style, used for serving soba dipping sauce and sake. An elegant blue and white gift set from Nagasaki. Origin Hasami, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan 🇯🇵 Material Premium...