Cold Prawn Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing

I ran across a bottle of Yuzu at the supermarket and instantly wanted to try it!  It seemed to me that it would lend itself nicely to a cold noodle salad, perfect for a hot summer day.  The salad also has plenty of cool, crunchy cucumber and spring onions.

The prawn in the dish is made in the way of ceviche, more about that later.  

Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit.  A sort of cross between mandarin orange and grapefruit.  That is exactly what the fruit tastes of a mild grapefruit.  Yuzu gives an authentic Japanese kick to many dishes such as; Ponzu sauce, grated over Miso soup, vinegar, tea, alcoholic cocktails, and many desserts (My next blog will feature a Yuzu dessert).

Yuzu is becoming popular in Western dishes and drinks recently.  One such example is near to my heart, New Belgium in Fort Collins brewed a Weisse style beer including the citrus fruit.

I don't have a sample of the fresh fruit, it would be great to use that someday!  I can imagine the zest would add quite a bit to the right dishes. For now this bottled juice with suffice.

A good noodle for this healthy dish is Soba noodle, with the added nutrition of buckwheat.

Cold Prawn Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing

1 pkg. soba noodles, prepared and rinsed with cold water, set aside
1 English cucumber - peeled, seeded and chopped
1 bunch of spring onions - chopped

Toss gently and set aside in the refrigerator.

To prepare the prawns:

Juice of 2 limes and/or lemons
1/2 pound of prawns - shelled, de-veined and chopped in three pieces.

Cover the prawn pieces completely in the citrus juice.  Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Turn the prawn pieces every so often, but keep them submerged in the juice. The juice needs to "cook" the prawns, the prawns will be firm, red, and opaque when they are done. Drain the prawns of the citrus juice completely.

Add the well drained prawns and again toss gently.  Now make the dressing:

1/4 c. Yuzu juice
1 tsp. mild mustard
1/8 c. honey
3 tbsp. soy sauce
3 tbsp. Mirin
1/8 c. rice wine vinegar

Whisk together well. Then slowly, like a tbsp at a time whisk in 3 tbsp. mild flavoured oil, such as rapeseed.

Pour the dressing over the noodle mixture and serve.


I finished the salad with a large grain sea salt.

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