Ono Grindz 808
Soups & Noodles

Saimin

Hawai'i's own noodle soup — dashi broth, curly noodles, char siu, and green onion.

Prep15 min
Cook25 min
Total40 min
Serves4

Saimin isn't ramen and it isn't wonton mein — it grew up on plantation camps where Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino workers pooled what they had into one bowl. The broth is light and clean: dashi with a shrimp backbone, barely salted, made for slurping at drive-ins and after football games.

Fresh saimin noodles are ideal if your market carries them; otherwise fresh ramen noodles are the closest cousin.

How fo’ make ’um

  1. Soak the kombu in the water 20 minutes, then bring almost to a boil. Pull the kombu out just before it bubbles.
  2. Add the dried shrimp, simmer 5 minutes, then kill the heat and add the bonito flakes. Steep 5 minutes, then strain the broth into a clean pot.
  3. Season the broth with shoyu, salt, and sugar. It should taste clean and gently savory — lighter than ramen broth.
  4. Boil the noodles in a separate pot of water per package directions. Never cook noodles in the broth — it clouds and starches it.
  5. Drain the noodles and divide between deep bowls. Ladle the hot broth over.
  6. Top each bowl with char siu, egg, kamaboko, and a generous pile of green onion. Serve with hot mustard-shoyu dip on the side for dipping the meat.

Local tips

  • The mustard dip: equal parts hot dry mustard paste and shoyu. Dip, don't pour.
  • A saimin with a grilled cheese or teri beef stick on the side is the classic drive-in order.
  • Add won ton on top and you've made won ton min. Look at you.

Keep grinding

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