Summertime in Japan often means meals with sōmen, thin wheat noodles that cook quickly and make for a convenient ingredient. While they’re usually served cold with a dipping sauce, these delicate noodles can also be enjoyed in other ways, including in a traditional Okinawan stir-fry called sōmen champurū.
Nutritious and suited to the warm Okinawan climate, the dish is believed to have originated during the Ryukyu Kingdom period (1472-1879).
Also known locally as sōmen tashiya, the dish is better known as sōmen champurū throughout Japan. The word “champurū” comes from the Indonesian “campur,” meaning “to mix.” In Okinawan cooking, the term refers to stir-fry dishes, usually with tofu, though pork is more common in sōmen champurū. Pork provides plenty of B vitamins, which help combat fatigue, making it especially suitable for the hot summer months.
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