Asian Blogger Gathering & Somen Salad

There are countless blogger events and meet-ups that happen every year. But here is one I cannot and will not miss: Banana. The first ever gathering of Asian American bloggers is happening this month, on November 21st in Los Angeles. The event will include a panel of well-known Asian American bloggers, including Angry Asian Man, the Kimchi Mamas, Minority Militant, and many other cool people. The bonus is that it's happening at University of Southern California, where I work. I will be trekking my Chinese-American self and my little hapa son to the event. If you're around Los Angeles, come check it out!

In honor of my fellow Asian bloggers, I'm posting one of my favorite recipes, somen salad. Somen salad is a Japanese dish that my mother frequently made for our family and various potluck gatherings when I was growing up.

It is simple to make - just chop everything up, and toss it together. It is served cold, with a delicious sesame dressing.

Somen Salad
1 package somen noodles, boiled
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup thinly sliced ham
2 eggs, scrambled and thinly sliced
1 package kamaboko, thinly sliced
3 stalks green onion, chopped

Sauce:
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cooking oil
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Lay somen in 9x13-inch pan. Garnish with lettuce, kamaboko, ham, green onion and egg. Mix ingredients for sauce in a bottle, and shake well. Pour over salad. Serves 6-8.