If you are in London right now, you are feeling my pain…. ITS TOO DARN HOT! Yeah, I like the warm weather, but this city is not built for this heat! I’m not built for this heat as a matter of fact. I loved the cooler summers that we used to have here a few years ago. Thanks for that Mr Global Warming.

I’m heavily investing in ice and ice-cream at the moment, but other than that I don’t want to cook at all unless I’m outside doing something on the BBQ. The heat is hell, I’m not turning on the stove at all (or at least as little as possible). So, finding cool/cold things to eat has been fun… been eating loads of salads and smoothies, but I want more.

Chilled ramen dishes are nothing new. I never really understood them until I had one on a hot summers day. Bingo. Then the idea came back in my head at a recent visit to Ichibuns. They serve this cold yuzu udon with sashimi. Then I got thinking about fruit-based chilled noodle dishes.

After some research, I found the Korean chilled noodle dish of Naengmyeon. Then falling further into that internet hole, I stumbled across Subak Naengmyeon… Chilled noodles served in a watermelon… And voila… that’s what I needed to make. I love watermelon and I love anything cold.

I’ve majorly reworked for simplicity, minimal cooking and ease of eating. I’m using MuWabi Matcha noodles that I picked up from The Harro Foods Japan Food Show that was a part of HYPERJAPAN. Mainly because I love Matcha and (kill me now) the colours would look pretty.

My Subak Naengmyeon (Cold Noodles in Watermelon)

INGREDIENTS
1 pack of Miyabi matcha noodles
1 seedless watermelon
300g large raw prawns, peeled

For pickled watermelon rind:

2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

For broth:
Reserved Watermelon Flesh
3 tablespoons Chung Jung One Gochujang
3 1/2 tablespoons sushi rice seasoning (can use 3 ½ tbs rice vinegar & 3 tablespoons sugar)
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 packet soup base (from the package)

For garnish:

1 small cucumber, cut into matchsticks
1 green onion sliced
Sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut watermelon in half and cut each end so the halves can sit up straight. Remove most of the watermelon flesh to make room for the noodles. Save the flesh for the broth.

With the bit that you cut off from the bottom make your watermelon rind pickles.

Thinly slice watermelon into the thinnest possible slices. In a medium mixing bowl, add watermelon, followed by vinegar, sugar and salt. Toss and mix until sugar has dissolved; set aside.

Make the ‘broth’ by mixing blending the reserved watermelon flesh in your blender. You want this to be as smooth as possible. Then add one packet of the soup base that comes with the noodles, gochujang, sesame oil and sushi rice vinegar. Chill the broth overnight or in the freezer for 30 minutes or so. 

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Cook noodles for 5 minutes. When the noodles are done, take a couple of ladles of the hot water to completely submerge the prawns. This will slowly cook them.

Rinse your noodles in cold water to chill and remove any excess starch. Drain completely

After about 3 minutes or so, your prawns will be cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to chill.

Divide the noodles in the middle of each watermelon halves, and garnish with pickled watermelon rind, cucumber ribbons, spring onion, prawns and sesame seeds. Pour the naengmyeon broth around noodles and add extra gochujang sauce if desired. Enjoy!

Once the noodles are boiled and drained you can chill this whole process and assemble later.