Steps

1. Set a colander in the sink and prepare ice water.
   🕒 06:06
2. Remove all the bands from the somen noodles.
   🕒 06:36
3. Boil a generous amount of water.
   🕒 06:37
4. Add 2 bundles of somen noodles to the boiling water and boil for 50 seconds. This is the key! Boiling for about 30 seconds less than the standard cooking time will result in a firm texture.
   🕒 06:48
5. Immediately remove the boiled somen noodles from the hot water and rapidly cool them down with cold water.
   🕒 07:19
6. Gently rub the cooled somen noodles together with your hands, as if praying, to thoroughly remove the slimy coating. This is the key! Removing the slime thoroughly will improve the mouthfeel.
   🕒 07:40
7. After removing the slime, drain the noodles once, then prepare ice water by adding plenty of ice to a bowl of clean water.
   🕒 08:42
8. Chill the somen noodles in the ice water for 1-2 minutes. This is the key! Chilling in ice water creates a chewy texture. Be careful not to soak them for too long, as this will cause the flavor to leach out.
   🕒 08:59
9. Drain the chilled somen noodles lightly on a colander and quickly arrange them on a plate. This is the key! Squeezing them too tightly will make the noodles stick together later, so just drain them lightly.
   🕒 09:49
10. Add 5 tbsp of water to the Shiro Dashi and adjust with water until the saltiness is no longer noticeable, creating the dipping sauce base.
    🕒 10:38
11. Add your preferred dressing to the prepared base in a 1:1 ratio and mix lightly.
    🕒 11:03
12. Taste and adjust by thinning with the base until the saltiness is no longer noticeable. This is the key! Thinning the dressing with the Shiro Dashi base makes it a more suitable dipping sauce for somen compared to using the dressing directly.
    🕒 11:25