Eating My Skincare · Episode 17
Cold Tomato Salmon Somen
Japan gets brutally hot and humid in the summer, and somen is basically the national answer to it, cold noodles you dunk in an ice-cold sauce. This version leans into that with a quick tomato and salmon topping instead of the usual plain dip.
Tinned salmon makes this almost no-cook. A few minutes to boil the noodles, toss the salmon with tomato, rice vinegar and sesame oil, and you're basically done, everything gets layered cold with ice cubes right in the bowl.
The shiso and lemon aren't just garnish, they cut through the richness of the salmon and make the whole bowl taste brighter.
Salmon
Omega-3 fatty acids
Even the tinned kind is rich in omega-3s, which help maintain your skin's moisture barrier and reduce inflammation-driven redness.
Tomato
Lycopene
A powerful antioxidant that helps protect skin from UV and environmental damage, especially useful during peak summer sun exposure.
Sesame oil
Vitamin E
A natural antioxidant that supports the skin barrier and helps lock in hydration, which pairs well with this ice-cold, water-rich dish.
What you'll need
The bowl
The sauce
How to make it
Cook and chill the noodles
Boil the somen noodles, then immediately shock them in an ice bath to stop the cooking and chill them through.
Somen cooks fast, usually under 2 minutes, so don't walk away from the pot.
Season the salmon and tomato
Combine the tinned salmon with diced tomato. Season with black pepper, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a pinch of sugar. Set aside in the fridge.
Prep the garnishes
Finely slice the shiso leaf and cut the lemon into thin rounds.
Mix the dipping sauce
Combine the somen tsuyu sauce with water to taste, the amount depends on how concentrated your brand is.
Assemble and serve
Layer the chilled noodles in a bowl with the sauce, top with the tomato-salmon mixture, shiso, and lemon. Finish with ice cubes and serve immediately.
