Steps

1. Add 400ml water, 9 dashes Haimi (umami seasoning), and 2g bonito flakes powder to a pot. Then add 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1/3 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 5g grated ginger, black pepper to taste, and 60g thinly sliced pork to the pot.
   🕒 02:53
2. In a cup, combine 1/2 tbsp potato starch and 1 tbsp sake, and mix well. [Chef's Tip!] Dissolving it with sake instead of water enhances the flavor and acts as dashi (broth).
   🕒 05:36
3. Heat the soup in the pot. Once it boils, gradually add the prepared potato starch mixture while stirring, until it slightly thickens. [Chef's Tip!] Aim for a subtle thickening with about 1/2 tbsp of potato starch to create a cohesive texture with the noodles.
   🕒 04:50
4. Boil water for cooking somen noodles in a separate pot.
   🕒 04:57
5. Add 100g somen noodles to the boiling water and cook them al dente, slightly shorter than the package instructions (e.g., if it says 1.5 minutes, cook for just under 1 minute). Once cooked, rinse thoroughly with water to remove sliminess and excess starch. Squeeze the noodles firmly with both hands to remove excess water. [Chef's Tip!] Removing the sliminess from the somen prevents it from becoming mushy and improves the final texture.
   🕒 09:30
6. Reheat the kept-warm soup until it boils. Add the drained somen noodles to the boiling soup and simmer for about 1 minute to warm them through. [Chef's Tip!] Simmering the somen with the soup warms the noodles and allows the flavors to meld, creating a harmonious dish.
   🕒 10:35
7. Ladle the noodles and soup into a bowl, arranging the thinly sliced pork to look appetizing. Arrange the noodles neatly, sprinkle with chopped scallions to taste, and serve. Optionally, add chili oil, black pepper, or sansho pepper to your liking.
   🕒 11:38