Cold Noodle Salad with Sesame-&-Vinegar Sauce

As soon as the first breath of the warm, humid air typical of Japanese summers begins to stir, restaurants start serving this refreshing cold noodle salad with its tangy sauce. The warm-weather alternative to hot ramen noodle soup, hiyashi chuka is a lunchtime favorite for office workers and a quick and cooling dinner for families.

Experiment with the toppings: shredded omelet, julienned cucumber, cold roast pork (chashu), green onions, nori, and sometimes tomato wedge