For a light and refreshing meal, try my cold Shirataki Noodles with Honey Sesame Dressing. You can top the noodles with shredded egg crepe, chicken, and cucumber. It's a perfect guilt-free summer noodle that is low in calories. It's gluten-free, too!
In a large pot, add 4 cups water, ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp sake. Bring it to a boil.
Cut 2 green onions/scallions into thirds and cut 1 knob ginger into thin slices (you can keep the peel on). Add them to the pot.
Butterfly 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast by cutting the length of the side of the chicken breast with the edge of your knife parallel to the cutting board. Carefully slice the breast in half widthwise until the other edge. Now you have two pieces of chicken breast.
Once the water is boiling, put the chicken in the pot. Cover the lid and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
After cooking the chicken for 15 minutes, transfer it from the pot to a plate. Cover with plastic wrap to keep the moisture and let it cool.
To Prepare the Honey Sesame Sauce
Heat 4 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds in a dry frying pan (without oil) until fragrant; it will take 3–5 minutes, depending on the heat. Swirl the pan once in a while to rotate the seeds.
Transfer the toasted sesame seeds into your Japanese mortar and pestle. You don’t have to completely grind the sesame seeds. To add texture to the dressing, it’s nice to keep both powdered and whole sesame seeds. If you don’t have a Japanese mortar and pestle, you can use a food processor.
Transfer the ground sesame seeds into a 2-cup measuring cup. Add 2 Tbsp honey, 4 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk it all together and set aside.
To Prepare the Toppings
Crack 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) in a medium bowl and whisk well. Add ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and combine well.
Heat ½ Tbsp neutral oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the frying pan is hot, add the egg mixture. Turn down the heat to low and swirl the pan to evenly distribute the egg in the pan. Once the egg mixture is set, you can flip to cook the other side (optional) or continue to cook longer until the egg is cooked through. Turn off the heat and transfer the egg crepe to your work surface.
Cut the egg crepe in half and thinly slice it. Set aside.
Peel 1 Japanese or Persian cucumber but leave some skin unpeeled for a striped pattern (it looks better this way). Cut the cucumber diagonally into ⅛-inch (3-mm) slices. Then, cut it into thin long sticks. Set aside.
Cut 1 tomato in half and cut each half into 3–4 wedges. Set aside.
Shred the chicken into thin, long strips. When the ingredients are all the same shape, it’s easier to combine with the noodles and you can eat all the ingredients together.
To Prepare the Shirataki Noodles
Boil 4 cups water in a saucepan. Tip: Boiling the shirataki noodles helps remove their unwanted odor, so don’t skip this step.
Open 2 packages shirataki noodles and drain. Rinse quickly under cold running water.
Once the water is boiling, add the shirataki noodles and cook for 2 minutes. Drain immediately and soak in an ice bath.
To Assemble the Noodles
When the shirataki noodles are cold, drain well. On a plate, serve the shirataki noodles and toppings of your choice. Garnish with 1 sprig cilantro (coriander) and drizzle the dressing on top.