Somen Salad

Somen salad is a Japanese dish that my mother frequently made for our family and various potluck gatherings when I was growing up. As a small child, I remember being allowed to help by shredding the lettuce and chopping the kamaboko fish cake. My favorite part of the dish was always the pieces of vibrantly colored fish cake, so cold and refreshing.

It is simple to make - just chop everything up, and toss it together. It is served cold, with a delicious sesame dressing. Somen noodles and kamaboko are both available in Japanese markets.

Somen Salad
1 package somen noodles, boiled
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup thinly sliced ham
2 eggs, scrambled and thinly sliced
1 package kamaboko, thinly sliced
3 stalks green onion, chopped

Sauce:
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cooking oil
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Lay somen in 9x13-inch pan. Garnish with lettuce, kamaboko, ham, green onion and egg. Mix ingredients for sauce in a bottle, and shake well. Pour over salad. Serves 6-8.