'Yakumi' Vegetarian Condiments for Japanese noodles

Somen  noodles (thin wheat noodles) are kept cold and enjoyed especially in hot summer. In winter, somen can be eaten with hot soup. Japanese are good bringing in the coolness to the the hot summer table by serving cold dish really cold or in winter serving piping hot.

Somen 素麺　そうめん、literally means plain noodles.

This is where condiments come in to create your own somen meal.

These are the things I have set on our table.

avocado

grated daikon

purple onion

toasted aburaage (deep fried tofu)

nori seaweed

ground sesame seeds

and

natto (fermented soybeans)

sansho (Japanese pepper leaves)

I have these as well

grated ginger roots

wasabi

chopped green onion

Usually first bite (or a slurp), I like to enjoy it plain, just with dipping sauce.

somen noodles

dipping sauce with poached egg

Vegetarian dipping somen sauce is  made with かえし、'kaeshi' soy-sauce and mirin mixture.

By adding shiitake (dried), and Kombu broth you can make simple dipping sauce very easily.