Bukkake Udon Noodles

It finally feels like summer here! After what seems like months of endless rain and cloud, I was starting to wonder if we will be getting any summer..., but temperatures are rising & sunshine is here : )  I skyped with my Mom today - she said the temperature there (Nara, Japan) is 35 C and humidity is close to 70%..  Summer in Japan is very hot & humid..
To beat the summer heat, I decided to make Bukkake Udon for dinner. It is basically cold Udon noodles, splashed with soy sauce based dashi broth and a few toppings. Cold noodles is a very popular dish in Japan, especially during the hot and humid summer time.

Ingredients:

Udon Noodles (please use the frozen or dry one.. not the one packed in the vacuum sealed package... they are awful... )
Broth (enough for 4 people):
3 TBS Japanese Soy Sauce
2 TBS Mirin
1 tsp   Sugar
a pinch of Salt
200ml Water
1 tsp   Dashi powder * see note below

1. Mix Soy sauce, mirin, sugar and salt in a pot and bring to the boil.
2. Once it is boiled, turn off the heat and add water and dashi powder. Stir until the dashi powder is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool. (or if you can, make this in advance and keep it in the fridge. It's best served cold)
3. Cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions. Once the noodles are cooked,  quickly drain the noodles into a colander, while running a cold water onto the noodles. Leave the water running for a while over the noodles. Once the noodles are cool enough to touch, take handfuls and gently swish and rub them in the running water, as if you are washing the noodles. This is a critical step- the goal here is not just to get the noodle ice cold, but to get rid of the starchiness from the noodles.
4. Drain the excess water from the noodles and place the noodles in a bowl.
5. Pour the broth and top with desired toppings.

Suggested toppings:
Green onion, chopped
Grated fresh ginger
Roasted sesame seeds
Grated daikon (type of radish that is white and long. In my local grocery store, it is called Lo Bok)
Tempura (any kind, but prawns are my favorite)

*about Dashi

Dashi is a Japanese soup stock that is used in a variety of Japanese dishes.  Dashi is made by boiling dry bonito fish flakes  and kombu (type of kelp). Just like the chicken stock powder / cubes, dashi powder is available to make dashi much easier / quicker. - I used the dashi powder in this recipe. Dashi powder is available in many Asian grocery stores, or if you cannot find it, I've just discovered that it is available at the Amazon.com