Chiikawa Usagi Potato Salad Cold Noodles

A healing and adorable bowl of cold noodles featuring a handmade Usagi potato salad character, vibrant shredded vegetables, shredded chicken, and a rich peanut-sesame dressing.

Ingredients

• 200 g dry noodles
• 2 potatoes
• 100 g shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cucumber
• 1 carrot
• 2 tbsp crushed peanuts
• 2 stalks scallions
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp black vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 pinch MSG
• 1 tbsp chili oil
• 1.5 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp cooked rapeseed oil
• to taste nori seaweed

Instructions

1. 1Boil the noodles

   

   Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the dry noodles. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes until tender, then drain thoroughly.

   Tip: Make sure the water is at a rolling boil before dropping in the noodles.
2. 2Toss noodles with oil

   

   After draining the cooked noodles, spread them out on a tray and drizzle with a bit of cooked rapeseed oil, tossing gently to prevent them from sticking together.

   Tip: Adding a little oil right after draining helps keep the noodles separate and smooth.
3. 3Prepare the sauce

   

   Combine minced garlic, water, light soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, MSG, chili oil, peanut butter, and sesame seeds in a container, then mix well to create a rich and savory dressing.

   Tip: Mix the peanut butter well with the liquid ingredients first to ensure a smooth, uniform sauce.
4. 4Mash the steamed potatoes

   

   Take freshly steamed potato slices placed in a glass bowl and mash them thoroughly until smooth and free of lumps.

   Tip: Mash the potatoes while they are still hot so they break down easily into a smooth consistency.
5. 5Shape the mashed potatoes

   

   Take the thoroughly steamed and mashed potatoes and shape them into a smooth round ball to form the head of the character Usagi. Add small pieces of mashed potato to create the rabbit ears.

   Tip: Make sure the potatoes are smooth and warm while shaping so they hold their form easily without cracking.
6. 6Decorate the face

   

   Carefully use a pair of tweezers to place small, precision-cut pieces of nori seaweed onto the mashed potato head to create eyes, eyebrows, and mouth expressions.

   Tip: Use fine tweezers for precise placement of the seaweed details.
7. 7Add toppings to the noodles

   

   Place shredded carrots, cucumber strips, shredded chicken, crushed peanuts, and fresh scallions directly over the prepared cold noodles in the bowl.

   Tip: Add the crisp vegetables just before serving to maintain their fresh texture and crunch.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions