【Fishing Meal】I tried "chilled ramen" that is just as it is in the car along the forest road.

In the hot season, I crave chilled noodles during breaks from stream fishing. So, I decided to try making bagged chilled Chinese noodles I found at the supermarket as "fishing food" to enjoy at the fishing spot. Will it be the perfect fishing day with a delicious lunch!?

What is chilled Chinese noodles that can be eaten at a fishing spot?

I found Nissin "Sonomanma Noodles Chilled Chinese (Soy Sauce)" at the supermarket. I wanted to enjoy this for lunch while trout fishing, so I bought it. Since there's no need to boil the noodles, and you just pour on the sauce, it seems like I can easily make chilled Chinese noodles anywhere as long as I have some ingredients.

So, I made sure to prepare the ingredients properly. It’s wrapped up, so it’s hard to see, but there are shredded omelet, chicken breast, imitation crab, pickled ginger, and cucumber. I prepared them in the morning, and kept them in the fridge until I left home, then packed them in a cooler and set off for the fishing spot.

Continuing to cast lures but no catch → starving break

That day, I walked along the river and had no luck until lunchtime. I was quite exhausted and very hungry. So, it was time for a break for lunch. I plan to use the car bed as a table and eat in the back seat. In the shade by the forest road, it shouldn’t be too hot and I should be able to enjoy my meal comfortably.

The interior of my JA22 Jimny looks like this. The small space actually makes me feel calm. Since I use my bag as a rod holder, there’s also plenty of room on the table because the rod is shorter. I drink the ice-cold barley tea that I kept in the cooler and take a break for now.

Just by putting the noodles and ingredients into the pot, the cold Chinese-style noodles are complete.

Once I'm settled down, I’ll start cooking. I put the noodles in the pot, neatly arrange the ingredients, and pour the sauce over them. Finally, I add some mustard to finish it off. This cold Chinese-style noodles can be eaten literally "as is" without boiling the noodles. It’s great that I can easily make it even when I’m tired.

The chilled noodles and the tangy sauce permeate my exhausted body. I usually make do with lighter snacks, so it feels surprising that such a simple meal can be a substantial lunch. Eating a delicious lunch gives me the energy to push on afterward.

By the way, this "As Is Noodles" series also includes udon, soba, mixed noodles, and dan dan noodles. Though they are chilled (refrigerated), as long as you have a cooler, they can easily be finished off on site, making me want to try the other offerings too.

Actually, I had planned to use a flat dish for the sake of appearance, but I forgot to bring it and am using a pot instead. Because of that, or rather thanks to that, I discovered that if I cover the pot and put it in the cooler to take home, it makes it easy to take back without having to forcefully drink or dispose of the leftover broth. I realized I don’t have to worry about cleaning up, which allows me to concentrate more on fishing.

With beautiful scenery and delicious fishing meals, it was enjoyable

In the end, I didn't catch anything in the afternoon, but I encountered points that were beautiful like paintings and was able to enjoy refreshing air while avoiding the heat. Since I was able to replenish my energy deliciously, I felt a sense of relaxation that allowed me to enjoy the natural scenery even more.

It was also a good point that, instead of usually stopping at a convenience store to buy snacks for stream fishing, I was able to arrive at the fishing spot without losing time by preparing everything at home before departure. From now on, I plan to think about lunch for fishing and enjoy stream fishing at my own pace.

Interview and text by Kazuma Tanaka

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