Name: How To Make Harusame Salad (Japanese Glass Noodle Salad)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 50 g Harusame (Dried Glass Noodles); 120 g Cucumber; 60 g Carrot (without peel); 20 g Sliced Ham; 1 g Salt; 1 Egg; 1/2 tsp Sugar; a pinch of Salt; Cooking Oil, as needed; 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce; 1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar; 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil; 1 Tbsp Sugar; 1/4 tsp Chicken Broth Powder; Roasted White Sesame Seeds, as needed

How To Make Harusame Salad (Japanese Glass Noodle Salad)

AppetizerGlass NoodlesGluten FreeHealthyLow CalorieMake AheadMeal Prep-FriendlySide DishSpringSummerUnder 30 Minutes

If you are familiar with Asian cuisines, you are likely to come across glass noodles. They are commonly found in dishes from China as well as Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan. In this recipe, we are going to introduce Harusame Salad, or Glass Noodle Salad, one of the famous side dishes in Japan.

Glass noodles are made from various starches such as mung bean, potato, sweet potato, or cassava. Japanese call glass noodles "Harusame," which means “Haru”=spring and “Same (Ame)”=rain. This beautiful name comes from its visual appearance. When combined with other ingredients, the translucence of glass noodles is reminiscent of a spring rain, creating a beautiful and refreshing dish.

As you might know, glass noodles are not an authentic Japanese ingredient. It is said that glass noodles began their history over 1000 years ago in China and arrived in Japan during the Kamakura era as part of Shojin Ryori. Now, glass noodles are widely known among Japanese people and used for daily meals.

Glass noodles are versatile and can be used in various dishes, such as stir-fries, soups, and salads. The chewy and slippery texture is unique and pairs well with vegetables, meats, and seafood. As they do not have a particular taste or flavor, they also pair well with various seasonings and absorb them while maintaining their texture. This feature sets glass noodles apart from other noodles or pastas.

On the other hand, what makes glass noodles akin to other noodles is their preservation. Just like other noodles, glass noodles are preservable as they are sold dried. Keeping a package of glass noodles in your pantry will provide a quick and convenient meal option. If you are short on time or having trouble finding glass noodles around you, we have them available on our website. Feel free to check them out and enjoy making glass noodle salad at home!

Instructions

1) Gathering the Ingredients & Making the Salad Dressing

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Gather the ingredients. Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, and chicken broth powder in a bowl.

Tip: Use tamari to keep this dish gluten-free.

2) Cutting the Ingredients Into Matchsticks

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Cut the ingredients:

Cucumber: Slice it diagonally, then cut into julienne.
Carrot: Cut it into thin slices, then cut into julienne.
Ham: Cut into strips.

For the cucumber and carrot, put them in a bowl and sprinkle 1g of salt, then mix them together. Set aside for about 10 minutes.

Expert's Tip

While there are various types of glass noodles, these glass noodles are made from ingredients produced in Japan, using sweet potato starch from the Kyushu region and potato starch from Hokkaido. They complement not only harusame salad but also other dishes such as soup, stir-fries, and hot pot, among others. Discover your favorite and enjoy adding a delightful twist to your dishes.

3) Beating the Eggs

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Crack an egg and beat until well mixed. Add sugar and salt. Then mix them well again.

Tip: If you want to make a silky smooth Kinshi Tamago, pour the egg mixture through a strainer.

4) Making the Egg Sheet

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Prepare a 16-18cm frying pan and lightly spread some cooking oil all over it. Heat it over medium-high heat until the frying pan becomes hot enough.

Once the frying pan is hot enough, remove it from the heat and place it on a wet towel for 10 seconds to even out the temperature of the surface.

Return it to the stove and pour the egg mixture. Spread it all over the frying pan and heat over low to medium heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then place a lid on and turn off the heat. Wait for another 1-2 minutes until the egg mixture is cooked. Gently peel the egg sheet from the frying pan and place it on a cutting board.

5) Cutting the Egg Into Strips

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Place the egg sheet on a cutting board and fold it in half. Remove the edges of the sheet with a knife. Then cut it into thin strips as shown in the picture.

6) Boiling the Harusame (Glass Noodles)

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Prepare a pot with boiling water and boil harusame for the time showed on the package (usually 3-4 minutes).

After boiling, drain the water and rinse them with cold water. Then remove the excess water with a strainer and cut into bite-sized pieces.

7) Putting the Harusame Salad Together

squeezing the vegetables to draw out moisture

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Squeeze the moisture from the cucumber and carrot. Combine them with ham, harusame and the salad dressing. Mix everything until the dressing is well distributed into the salad.

Then add Kinshi Tamago and gently mix together.

8) Garnishing and Serving Harusame Salad

Serve harusame salad on a plate or small bowl and sprinkle some roasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Megumi Moriya

Megumi is a recipe writer based in Chiba, Japan. She carries a Bachelor in the Faculty of Foreign Studies and is interested in creating content about Japanese cuisine and traditional confectioneries. Megumi is most interested in making Japanese recipe content, and in her free time, she likes to play the piano, make handcrafted goods, and hula dance. She hopes to inspire Japanese Taste readers to make Japanese recipes at home and of course share more about Japanese culture.

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