Saimin - Homemade Alkaline Noodles with Hawai‘i-Style Broth

Ingredients

• Noodles

  1 tbsp (14g) baking soda
• 3 piece large eggs
• 2 tsp (6g) kosher salt
• 3.5 cups bread flour
• 3.5 cups cake flour
• 1 cups cornstarch
• 1 cups cool water(plus more as needed)

• Dashi Broth

  1 piece smoked ham hock
• 5 quarts water
• 10 piece chicken drumsticks
• 1 ounce dried shrimp(Family Food Company's brand)
• 6 piece shiitake mushrooms(dried)
• 5 piece green onions(sliced)
• 1 tsp (5ml) Hawaiian salt
• 4 inch dried kombu
• 2 tbsp (30ml) mirin
• 1 tbsp (15ml) soy sauce

• Recommended Garnishes

  kamaboko(optional)(sliced)
• char siu(optional)(sliced)
• green onions(optional)(sliced)
• scrambled egg omelet(optional)(sliced)
• napa cabbage(optional)(sliced)
• boiled wontons(optional)

Instructions

1. Noodles

   1

   Set your oven to 250°F. Cover a small rimmed baking sheet with foil, scatter the baking soda across the surface, and heat it for 1 hour. Give it a stir halfway through so it bakes evenly. Let it cool before using.

   Tip: Baking transforms it into a stronger alkaline agent, giving the noodles their signature chew.

2. 2

   Stir the salt into the water until it dissolves completely. Add the eggs and whisk until the mixture is uniform.

3. 3

   Combine the bread flour and cake flour in a large bowl. Create a well in the center and pour in the egg mixture. Mix with a paddle attachment (or a wooden spoon) until the dough starts to form.

4. 4

   Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Cover it and let it rest at room temperature for about an hour so it softens and becomes easier to roll.

5. 5

   Cut the dough into eight equal pieces. Working one piece at a time, roll it into a thin sheet—about ⅛ inch thick—dusting with cornstarch whenever it starts to stick.

6. 6

   Feed each sheet through a pasta machine, beginning on the widest setting and narrowing it gradually. Slice the sheets into thin noodles.

7. Dashi Broth

   7

   Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the ham hock, chicken drumsticks, dried shrimp, dried shiitake mushrooms, green onions, and salt. Keep the heat high and let everything boil together for 2 hours so the flavors fully extract.

   Tip: Broth clarity is up to you. A gentle simmer (below 200°F) keeps the broth clear, while a stronger boil will make it cloudier and richer.

8. 8

   Lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the kombu and let it steep for 30 minutes, allowing its umami to infuse the broth without turning bitter.

   Tip: Add kombu gently. Kombu should steep at a low simmer; boiling can make it bitter.

9. 9

   Pour in the mirin and soy sauce. Let the broth simmer for another 15–20 minutes, then strain out the solids. Keep the broth warm until you’re ready to serve.

   Tip: The broth doesn’t need to stay hot. You can cool it and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve. Chilling also makes it easier to lift off any solidified fat for a cleaner broth.

10. Assembly

    10

    Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Drop in the noodles and cook them until they rise to the surface, which takes about 1–3 minutes.

    Tip: If your pot is small, cook the noodles in batches so they don’t clump.

11. 11

    Portion the noodles into serving bowls and ladle the hot broth over them. Add any garnishes you like—traditional or otherwise.