Latest news with #coldnoodles
New York Times
25-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- New York Times
This Cold Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce Is Really Cool
With heat waves rolling over New York City and much of the country, going outside feels like running errands in a rice cooker. Even the backs of my knees have become chronically sweaty. In sweaty-knee conditions, cooking absolutely has to be quick and efficient, with recipes designed to help you keep your cool. Cold noodle dishes, for example, are ideal for this kind of weather. We have a slew of excellent ones here, including Hetty Lui McKinnon's cold noodle salad with spicy peanut sauce. With its flexible nature, this colorful salad is the kind of thing you can turn to all summer long. Just toss whatever vegetables you have with the springy soba noodles and piquant sauce, making sure to use a mix of crunchy and juicy ingredients — crisp cucumbers, floppy sliced peppers, soft bits of tomato — to get a range of textures. The creamy peanut sauce, spiked with lime juice and sweetened with maple syrup, brings everything together. Featured Recipe View Recipe → Ranch grilled chicken: For those brave enough to fire up the grill (and maybe not living in a heat dome of your own right now), here's Christian Reynoso's smart new chicken recipe. Christian uses a homemade, yogurt-based ranch dressing as a marinade for boneless chicken thighs, and then drizzles it over the charred, grilled meat after it's been tossed with radishes and a handful of the same herbs used in the dressing. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
NHK
22-06-2025
- NHK
Visitors to Japanese valley cool down with water-streamed noodles
People in Japan's western prefecture of Okayama have beaten the sweltering heat by a unique way -- savoring cold noodles which flow down chutes in water. A restaurant in the city of Maniwa offers the summer culinary tradition called "nagashi-somen." Customers use chopsticks to scoop up thin noodles from slides, dunk them into broth and slurp them up. The eatery, with a history of more than four decades, sits in the Yamanori Valley, a popular summer retreat. It began this year's business on Saturday. A 6-year-old girl who had the experience for the first time said it was fun and that she wants to try it again. Her mother said it was a good start to the summer as she loves the noodles.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Cool off with chilled ‘hiyashi chuka' noodles and other home cooked Japanese comfort dishes at Rakuki Coffee in Semenyih
SEMENYIH, May 10 — It's hard to guess what weather we'd experience on any given day, even with constantly updated forecasts. One minute it's dark and stormy; the next it's super sunny and as hot as the Sahara. When it leans towards the latter, we relish a chilled main dish to cool off with. This, surprisingly, isn't all that common even with our equatorial climate. Which is why the Hiyashi Chuka at Rakuki Coffee in Semenyih is such a lifesaver, a boon for our parched throats and dulled palates alike. Rakuki's Hiyashi Chuka doesn't veer far from the Japanese original: cold noodles that are topped with thinly sliced cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes and chicken ham as well as ribbons of omelette. A small jug of homemade dressing arrives alongside our plate for us to pour the homemade dressing before mixing it all up. Oh so refreshing. The space itself benefits from a certain Japanese minimalist vibe, with wooden furniture and white surfaces. A spot of colour and whimsy thanks to a feature wall of artwork. Wall of artwork (left). Pour the homemade dressing before mixing (right). — Pictures by CK Lim Rakuki doesn't try to be anything more than a warm and cosy family-run café. Which is quite touching, honestly. Many regulars return to Rakuki for their delicate – both in flavour and appearance – signature drinks. Head barista and co-owner Wenjie will be more than happy to check what you feel like having on any particular day and make the appropriate suggestion. A warm and cosy family-run café. — Picture by CK Lim On my first visit I had their Cococha – a bracing blend of powdered green tea, coconut water, milk and cream. There are three options for the powdered green tea: genmaicha, hojicha or matcha. I chose the genmaicha for its nutty, toasty aroma which went well with the slightly sweet coconut water and not too cloying cream. It is, there's no denying it, a beautiful beverage with the 'cloud of green' floating on a 'lake' of pristine coconut water but it's very tasty too. Another favourite is their Not A Pie where a blend of Fuji apple juice and green tea is slightly spiced with a hint of cinnamon. Truly autumnal. Cococha (left) and Not A Pie (right). — Pictures by CK Lim For something more fruity and floral, try their Soon Lizi (pear juice, infused oolong tea, cream and elderflower) or the Berry Cloud (berries, espresso and jasmine tea). Meals here at Rakuki revolve around Japanese comfort food staples. Nothing too fancy, but prepared with gentle care and a homey touch. Their Japanese Curry Rice with Chicken Hanbagu is exemplary of this approach. A simple dish, surely, but elevated by the homemade chicken patty. (No pork is served here.) Japanese Curry Rice with Chicken Hanbagu (left). Kimchi Chicken Hanbagu Sando (right). — Pictures by CK Lim If you prefer bread, try the Kimchi Chicken Hanbagu Sando. The same homemade chicken patty, together with a fried egg, kimchi, green coral and gochujang mayo, sandwiched between two thick slices of Japanese milk toast – absolutely divine. It's interesting to note that even the kimchi is homemade; which gives it a tangier, slightly less funky taste compared to the store bought variety. This homemade kimchi is also employed in one version of their popular Yaki Onigiri Set. Two rice balls are grilled and wrapped in nori (dried seaweed). These are served plain, with egg (tamago) or with a kimchi filling, and accompanied by a seasonal side dish and bowl of miso soup. Another comforting rice dish is their Mapo Tofu Rice. This admittedly has its origins in Sichuan, China but has been adopted by many kitchens in Japan. Rakuki's take has minced chicken and tofu cooked in doubanjiang (spicy bean sauce). Pair this with a side of Tori Karaage – the quintessential Japanese fried chicken – for some crunch to contrast with the softer texture of the tofu. Mapo Tofu Rice (left) and Tori Karaage (right). — Pictures by CK Lim Finish your meal with some pour-over coffee. Rakuki has the requisite espresso-based drinks menu, of course, but given the Japanese café theme, there's nothing like a cup of slow brewed coffee. Wenjie tells me that they currently source their beans from Hani Coffee & Roastery in Bangsar. He recommended the Ethiopia Kurume Koke G2, a natural processed coffee with notes of grapes, strawberries and black tea. Finish your meal with pour-over coffee. — Pictures by CK Lim We take our time to pour the filter coffee into our cups, sipping slowly to better appreciate Wenjie's craft. It's not hard to imagine that we are in Tokyo or Kyoto rather than Semenyih. With food and coffee made with such love, it doesn't really matter where we are, really. Rakuki CoffeeNo. 13-1, Jalan Kiara 1, Kawasan Perniagaan Kiara, Semenyih, SelangorOpen daily (except Thu closed) 11am-9pmPhone: 011-1080 3815IG: * This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. * Follow us on Instagram for more food gems.
Malay Mail
10-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Cool off with chilled ‘hiyashi chuka' noodles and other home cooked Japanese comfort dishes at Rakuki Coffee in Semenyih
SEMENYIH, May 10 — It's hard to guess what weather we'd experience on any given day, even with constantly updated forecasts. One minute it's dark and stormy; the next it's super sunny and as hot as the Sahara. When it leans towards the latter, we relish a chilled main dish to cool off with. This, surprisingly, isn't all that common even with our equatorial climate. Which is why the Hiyashi Chuka at Rakuki Coffee in Semenyih is such a lifesaver, a boon for our parched throats and dulled palates alike. Rakuki's Hiyashi Chuka doesn't veer far from the Japanese original: cold noodles that are topped with thinly sliced cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes and chicken ham as well as ribbons of omelette. A small jug of homemade dressing arrives alongside our plate for us to pour the homemade dressing before mixing it all up. Oh so refreshing. The space itself benefits from a certain Japanese minimalist vibe, with wooden furniture and white surfaces. A spot of colour and whimsy thanks to a feature wall of artwork. Wall of artwork (left). Pour the homemade dressing before mixing (right). — Pictures by CK Lim Rakuki doesn't try to be anything more than a warm and cosy family-run café. Which is quite touching, honestly. Many regulars return to Rakuki for their delicate – both in flavour and appearance – signature drinks. Head barista and co-owner Wenjie will be more than happy to check what you feel like having on any particular day and make the appropriate suggestion. A warm and cosy family-run café. — Picture by CK Lim On my first visit I had their Cococha – a bracing blend of powdered green tea, coconut water, milk and cream. There are three options for the powdered green tea: genmaicha, hojicha or matcha. I chose the genmaicha for its nutty, toasty aroma which went well with the slightly sweet coconut water and not too cloying cream. It is, there's no denying it, a beautiful beverage with the 'cloud of green' floating on a 'lake' of pristine coconut water but it's very tasty too. Another favourite is their Not A Pie where a blend of Fuji apple juice and green tea is slightly spiced with a hint of cinnamon. Truly autumnal. Cococha (left) and Not A Pie (right). — Pictures by CK Lim For something more fruity and floral, try their Soon Lizi (pear juice, infused oolong tea, cream and elderflower) or the Berry Cloud (berries, espresso and jasmine tea). Meals here at Rakuki revolve around Japanese comfort food staples. Nothing too fancy, but prepared with gentle care and a homey touch. Their Japanese Curry Rice with Chicken Hanbagu is exemplary of this approach. A simple dish, surely, but elevated by the homemade chicken patty. (No pork is served here.) Japanese Curry Rice with Chicken Hanbagu (left). Kimchi Chicken Hanbagu Sando (right). — Pictures by CK Lim If you prefer bread, try the Kimchi Chicken Hanbagu Sando. The same homemade chicken patty, together with a fried egg, kimchi, green coral and gochujang mayo, sandwiched between two thick slices of Japanese milk toast – absolutely divine. It's interesting to note that even the kimchi is homemade; which gives it a tangier, slightly less funky taste compared to the store bought variety. This homemade kimchi is also employed in one version of their popular Yaki Onigiri Set. Two rice balls are grilled and wrapped in nori (dried seaweed). These are served plain, with egg (tamago) or with a kimchi filling, and accompanied by a seasonal side dish and bowl of miso soup. Another comforting rice dish is their Mapo Tofu Rice. This admittedly has its origins in Sichuan, China but has been adopted by many kitchens in Japan. Rakuki's take has minced chicken and tofu cooked in doubanjiang (spicy bean sauce). Pair this with a side of Tori Karaage – the quintessential Japanese fried chicken – for some crunch to contrast with the softer texture of the tofu. Mapo Tofu Rice (left) and Tori Karaage (right). — Pictures by CK Lim Finish your meal with some pour-over coffee. Rakuki has the requisite espresso-based drinks menu, of course, but given the Japanese café theme, there's nothing like a cup of slow brewed coffee. Wenjie tells me that they currently source their beans from Hani Coffee & Roastery in Bangsar. He recommended the Ethiopia Kurume Koke G2, a natural processed coffee with notes of grapes, strawberries and black tea. Finish your meal with pour-over coffee. — Pictures by CK Lim We take our time to pour the filter coffee into our cups, sipping slowly to better appreciate Wenjie's craft. It's not hard to imagine that we are in Tokyo or Kyoto rather than Semenyih. With food and coffee made with such love, it doesn't really matter where we are, really. Rakuki CoffeeNo. 13-1, Jalan Kiara 1, Kawasan Perniagaan Kiara, Semenyih, SelangorOpen daily (except Thu closed) 11am-9pmPhone: 011-1080 3815IG: * This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. * Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
