Cold and Spicy Noodles

This refreshing dish – a noodle bowl and salad in one, inspired by Korean flavors and using Korean somyeon noodles or Japanese soba (or somen) noodles – is infinitely customizable. Make the eggs hard-boiled, as suggested, or soft-boiled – that's great, too. Or use Japanese marinated ajitama eggs (also known as ramen eggs, which you’ll find at the end of this recipe).

When you make the dressing, it may seem like too much, but I found that it's just the right amount to serve two. If one of you wants it very spicy and the other not so much, no worries – you can add a big pinch of Korean chile flakes to make one hotter. Want to make the dish vegetarian? Leave out the kimchi and fish sauce; use a little more soy sauce and spoonful of Korean chile paste instead. (You could also use a vegetarian kimchi and sub soy sauce for the fish sauce.) Leave off the egg as well, and it's vegan. Contrarily, you could add sliced raw fish or leftover cold chicken to protein it up.

Serves 2.

Ingredients

1 egg

6 ounces Korean somyeon noodles or Japanese soba or somen noodles

1 cup julienned romaine lettuce (about 5 or 6 big leaves, ribs removed)