Hiyashi Soba with Spicy Peanut Sauce

I came up with this dish completely on a whim one day, just combining flavors I love: nutty sesame, spicy chili oil, and refreshing cold noodles. It’s been over 100 degrees Fahrenheit here where I live, so I’ve been in desperate need of cold noodle dishes! It’s too hot!

As I was making this, I realized it had a lot of similarities to dan dan noodles. The rich, savory, spicy sesame-based sauce and the seasoned meat topping… but with a Japanese twist. I love dan dan noodles, so I tossed in some Szechuan peppercorn oil while I was at it!

It’s almost like a hiyashi tantanmen-inspired dish, which is the chilled version of tantanmen, but instead of using ramen noodles, I used cold soba noodles. The buckwheat noodles add a slightly earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with the creamy peanut chili oil sauce and makes it feel lighter and perfect for warmer days.

This dish is spicy, nutty, savory, and refreshing all at once. I am seriously drooling just thinking about it. It’s currently 11 PM and I may need a midnight snack now! It all feels like a blend of different Asian noodle traditions while still having its own identity.

Ingredients:

• Sesame seeds: Ground into a nutty, aromatic base that adds depth and a rich toasted flavor to the sauce.
• Peanut butter: Adds creaminess and a subtle sweetness that balances the heat from the chili oil.
• Soy sauce: Brings savory umami and enhances all the flavors in the sauce.
• Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the saltiness and spice.
• Szechuan peppercorn powder: Gives the dish its signature citrusy, tingling spice and a little complexity. I also love using Szechuan peppercorn oil because it’s a little quicker to work with!
• Chili oil: Provides heat, richness, and a deep layer of flavor.
• Reserved soba noodle water: Helps loosen the sauce and allows it to coat the noodles smoothly.
• Chicken: Simmered with ginger and scallion to create tender, flavorful shredded chicken.
• Ginger & scallion: Infuse the chicken with fresh aromatics and add brightness to the dish.
• Soba noodles: Chilled buckwheat noodles that bring a nutty flavor and light, refreshing texture. Feel free to sub for any other noodle that you like to eat cold!

What Type of Noodles to Use

For this dish, you can use whatever noodles you like to eat cold! I used Japanese soba noodles, which are made primarily from buckwheat flour. I am able to find these at pretty much any grocery store near me.

Authentic soba has a slightly nutty flavor and a firm, chewy texture that pairs perfectly with a cold sauce. In Japan, you can find variations that range from 100% buckwheat to blends that include wheat flour for elasticity (pure buckwheat noodles tend to be more brittle, while blended versions hold together better and are more common in everyday cooking).

How to Crush the Sesame Seeds

In Japan, traditionally a suribachi and surikogi are used to crush the sesame seeds. A suribachi is a Japanese mortar with ridged, textured walls designed specifically for grinding ingredients like sesame seeds into a paste. The surikogi is the accompanying wooden pestle, which gently presses and crushes ingredients without damaging the mortar’s grooves.

No, you don’t need a suribachi and surikogi – They’re wonderful tools, but totally optional. You can also crush toasted sesame seeds using:

• A mortar and pestle
• A spice grinder or coffee grinder (pulse lightly)
• A zip-top bag + rolling pin

The goal is just to break the seeds open to release their oils and flavor, and any of these methods will get you there.

Beyond crushing sesame seeds for goma dressing, a suribachi and surikogi are used in many traditional Japanese cooking techniques:

• Grinding Spices: They’re perfect for grinding seeds like poppy, mustard, or shiso seeds to release their oils and aroma.
• Making Pastes: You can turn garlic, ginger, or miso into smooth pastes for sauces, marinades, or soups.
• Mixing Dressings and Sauces: The textured bowl helps emulsify ingredients like miso, vinegar, soy sauce, and oils for dressings or dipping sauces.
• Traditional Japanese Sweets: Some wagashi recipes use the suribachi to grind beans or seeds into fine pastes.

The ridges of the suribachi make it uniquely effective at grinding and emulsifying without overworking the ingredients, which is why it’s such a staple in Japanese kitchens.

FAQ’s:

Can I use another type of noodle?
Yes! While soba noodles give this dish a nutty, earthy flavor, you can also use ramen noodles, somen, udon, or even regular pasta in a pinch.

Is this dish spicy?
It has a mild-to-moderate heat from the chili oil, but you can easily adjust the spice level by adding more or less chili oil.

Can I make this vegetarian?
Absolutely. Swap the chicken for tofu, mushrooms, or simply add vegetables. Cucumber, tomato, edamame, corn, or cabbage would be great! Feel free to do whatever you like. The peanut chili oil sauce is flavorful enough to stand on its own.

Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! The chicken and sauce can be prepared ahead of time. Keep the sauce separate from the noodles until serving so the soba doesn’t absorb too much sauce and become soft.

Why do I need to rinse the soba noodles?
Rinsing soba noodles under cold water removes excess starch, stops the cooking process, and gives them their signature refreshing, springy texture.

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