Somen Chanpuru

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit Okinawa, at the southern tip of Japan, and explore its unique food culture. My first meal there was at Makishi Market in Naha, where I got to pick out some fresh seafood and have it prepared for me on the market's second floor. Guided by a local, I also got to try some home-style dishes, including this somen chanpuru.

With the typhoon season stretching from June through November, the Okinawan pantry is a testament to practicality and preparedness, stocked with ingredients that will ensure a hearty meal can always be made, regardless of nature's fury. 

Chanpuru, an Okinawan term meaning "something mixed," is a genre of stir-fries that perfectly encapsulates the islands' history of culinary influences, including those from the native Ryuku people, Japan, surrounding Asian countries, and even the United States. 

One clever mashup that's become popular around Japan is Okinawa Taco Rice. It borrows flavors from Tex-Mex cuisine to appeal to the tastes of U.S. G.I's stationed around the island, as well as locals.

Somen Chanpuru is a testament to the ingenuity of Okinawan cuisine, transforming simple pantry staples like dried somen noodles, canned tuna, and katsuobushi into a quick meal that offers sustenance and comfort. 

Although somen comes in various thicknesses that require different cooking times, you'll want to cut the boiling time in half and use a generous amount of oil to prevent sogginess and sticking. I also like to use a high ratio of veggies to noodles to make this a one-dish meal that's as nourishing as it is satisfying. 

Somen Chanpuru

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Yield 2 servings

Units

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 150 grams somen noodles 3 bundles
• 70 grams canned tuna in oil
• 50 grams carrots cut into matchsticks
• 50 grams onions sliced
• 75 grams cabbage cut into 1-inch squares
• 50 grams garlic chives cut into 1-inch lengths
• 4 grams katsuobushi
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• White pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil as needed

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Instructions

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. I usually do this in a pan wide enough to fit the somen sideways but also deep enough so the water won't spill.
• In a separate pan, add the 70 grams canned tuna in oil, 50 grams carrots, and 50 grams onions and stir-fry until the onions become translucent.
  
• Add the 75 grams cabbage and continue to stir-fry until the cabbage has wilted.
  
• When the pot with the water is at a full boil, add the somen noodles and submerge them as quickly as possible. Cook the noodles for about half the time specified on the package.
  
• Transfer the somen straight into the pan with the rest of the chanpuru ingredients with tongs, and add in the 50 grams garlic chives and half of the 4 grams katsuobushi.
• Stir-fry the somen with the vegetables and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and White pepper to taste. If the noodles start to stick together, add some Vegetable oil as needed.
  
• Plate the somen chanpuru and sprinkle the remaining katsuobushi on top.
  

Nutrition

Calories 330kcalCarbohydrates 62gProtein 16gFat 2gSaturated Fat 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat 0.1gCholesterol 14mgSodium 629mgPotassium 328mgFiber 4gSugar 4gVitamin A 4483IUVitamin C 22mgCalcium 53mgIron 1mg

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese