For me, the biggest challenge of making bento isn't the preparation or even the packing. It's the planning involved in thinking of a colorful balance of side dishes to include. This easy cold noodle salad can be thrown together in minutes, and it provides a colorful balance of tastes and textures that makes a beautiful side dish to pack into a bento.
Harusame noodles are made from mung bean starch, and they're often labeled "bean thread noodles" or "glass noodles." They have a unique slippery texture that doesn't go soggy, perfect for make-ahead dishes like this.
As for the mix-ins, I used cucumbers and ham for the balance of colors, but this works with other veggies like corn, snap peas, carrots, or radishes.
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Darrell Moran says
Marc - Once again, maximum impact with minimum fuss. I'd call this zen, except it sounds too cliche. Aside from the excellent flavor combinations, my family became really addicted to the different "bites" provided by each ingredient. I did a 10 minute salt pickle of the cucumber slices and squeezed them a bit, employed jamón serrano (less fatty than prosciutto, so worked well here), and used thin Vietnamese rice noodles which I had handy, but the results were really perfect. Also, we just moved, so I didn't have sesame oil on hand, but good XV olive did the trick without fighting the soy. I think I could eat this every day, especially during hot weather. Goes well with a weis/wit/wheat beer for some reason. Thanks for another forehead-smacking "why haven't I been eating this earlier?" recipe! Cheers, Darrell
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks DJ! Thanks for sharing your substitutions. I can imagine how well nutty jamón serrano would go with this! It's so expensive in Japan it would be a luxurious noodle salad but I might have to try it sometime! I hope you're getting settled in and winter isn't too cold.