7 Cold Japanese Recipes for Hot Days in HCMC

1. Introduction: Beat the HCMC Heat with Cold Japanese Dishes

Ho Chi Minh City regularly exceeds 30 degrees year-round. On consecutive hot days, sometimes you just cannot muster the energy to cook hot meals.

Note: This article and some images were created with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team before publication.

That is when cold Japanese dishes come to the rescue. Japan has a rich tradition of cold dishes for getting through hot summers: chilled udon, cold tofu, vinegared salads, chilled ochazuke, and more. Refreshing flavors that go down easy even when appetite is low.

This article introduces 7 cold Japanese recipes you can make with HCMC-available ingredients. Minimal time over the stove, perfect for hot days.

!Cold Japanese recipes

2. Chilled Udon: The Classic Hot-Day Dish

Chilled udon is the quintessential cold Japanese dish. Slippery smooth noodles with cold dipping sauce cool you right down.

Ingredients (1 serving):

• Udon (dried also works): 1 serving
• Mentsuyu: to taste
• Toppings: green onion, grated ginger, tempura bits, boiled egg, etc.

How to make:

1. Boil udon according to package instructions
2. Rinse thoroughly in cold water to remove starch
3. Chill in ice water, then drain well
4. Serve in a bowl with mentsuyu and toppings

The key is rinsing well in cold water after boiling. This gives the noodles a firmer, smoother texture.

3. Hiyayakko (Cold Tofu): The Ultimate 5-Minute Simple Dish

Cold tofu is the ultimate minimalist cold Japanese dish, requiring zero cooking. Perfect for days too hot to stand in the kitchen.

Basic cold tofu:

1. Remove silken tofu from the package and place on a plate
2. Drizzle with soy sauce and add garnishes

Garnish variations:

• Classic: Grated ginger + chopped green onion + bonito flakes
• Spicy: Chili oil + green onion + white sesame
• Vietnamese-style: A little fish sauce + lime + cilantro

!Cold tofu variations

Tofu is available at HCMC supermarkets, but for smooth Japanese-style silken tofu, ordering on the Farmi app is the reliable choice.

4. Cucumber and Wakame Vinegared Salad: Refreshing Side Dish

Vinegared salad is a refreshing side dish that goes down easy even on hot days when appetite wanes. It is also great for meal prep.

Ingredients (2 servings):

• Cucumber: 1
• Dried wakame: 1 tbsp
• Vinegar: 2 tbsp
• Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
• Sugar: 1 tsp

How to make:

1. Thinly slice cucumber, rub with salt, and squeeze out moisture
2. Rehydrate wakame in water and drain
3. Mix vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar to make the dressing
4. Toss cucumber and wakame with the dressing

Refrigerating for 30 minutes or more lets the flavors meld for an even better taste.

5. Chilled Ochazuke: Japanese Summer Wisdom

Chilled ochazuke is a simple dish of cold dashi or tea poured over rice. In Japan, it has been enjoyed during hot summers for generations.

Ingredients (1 serving):

• Rice: 1 bowl
• Cold green tea or dashi stock: 200ml
• Toppings: umeboshi, nori, white sesame, shiso leaf, etc.
• Soy sauce: a little

How to make:

1. Place rice in a bowl and rinse briefly with cold water to remove starch
2. Pour cold green tea (or dashi) over the rice
3. Add toppings and serve

!Chilled ochazuke

Even when it is too hot to eat anything, this goes down smoothly. Change the toppings and it never gets old.

6. Nebaneba Chilled Soba: Stamina Recovery

When heat fatigue sets in, chilled soba loaded with nebaneba (sticky) toppings is an excellent choice.

Ingredients (1 serving):

• Soba (dried): 1 serving
• Natto: 1 pack
• Okra: 2 pieces
• Mentsuyu: to taste
• Egg yolk: 1

How to make:

1. Boil soba and rinse in cold water until firm
2. Briefly boil okra and slice into rounds
3. Arrange soba in a bowl, top with natto, okra, and egg yolk
4. Pour mentsuyu over, mix well, and enjoy

Nebaneba ingredients are easy to digest and gentle on a body weakened by the heat.

FAQ

Q1. How to order?

Download Farmi from App Store or Google Play. Available in Japanese, English, Vietnamese.

Q2. Delivery time?

Within 1 hour across Ho Chi Minh City.

Q3. Authentic products?

All products sourced through official import channels.

Q4. Delivery area?

Currently Ho Chi Minh City only.

7. Summary: Beat the Heat with Cold Japanese Dishes

HCMC has hot days year-round, but with a repertoire of cold Japanese dishes, your dining enjoyment expands.

Key takeaways:

• Chilled udon, cold tofu, and vinegared salad need minimal stove time, perfect for hot days
• Chilled ochazuke is done in 5 minutes, true Japanese summer wisdom
• Nebaneba chilled soba also replenishes stamina
• Many of these dishes can be prepped ahead, saving effort when batch-made

Mentsuyu, soba, udon, and other cold Japanese dish essentials can be bulk-ordered on the Farmi app. No need to carry heavy bags through the heat.

Download the Farmi App to order cold Japanese dish ingredients