Yaki udon, with its thick and chewy noodles, tremendous savory sauce, crisp greens, and slices of seared pork is my thought of pure consolation meals. It’s tremendous straightforward to place collectively and I can’t think about a greater one pan meal.
I LOVE yaki udon. It jogs my memory of lengthy lazy nights, big piles of noodles steaming on a flat high grill, and the sounds of joyful individuals chatting and having fun with pageant meals in Japan.
What’s yaki udon?
Yaki udon, actually translated, is fried udon. Thick and chewy udon noodles are fried with pork, cabbage, onions, and carrots, in a barely candy, tremendous savory soy and mirin primarily based sauce. It’s often topped off with seaweed and bonito flakes that lightly dance within the warmth of the noodles.
It’s virtually simply the identical as yakisoba, however with udon noodles. Yaki udon is tremendous in style at Japanese festivals, at izakaya (Japanese pubs), and nearly anytime.
How you can make yaki udon
You’re simply 5 minutes away from pure noodle satisfaction.
- Soak. The best strategy to defrost frozen udon noodles is to provide them a fast soak in some heat water. Use your arms or a pair of chopsticks to loosen them up, then drain.
- Fry the pork. Add a contact of oil to a pan and cook dinner the pork slices, flipping as wanted, till golden and cooked via.
- Cook dinner the greens. Stir fry the greens till barely delicate.
- Add the noodles. Fry the drained noodles, together with soy sauce, mirin, and dashi, tossing till the noodles are shiny and coated with sauce.
- Get pleasure from! Prime off with some bonito flakes and nori and revel in!
Ingredient notes
- Udon noodles – my all time favourite type of udon noodles are the frozen ones! They’re known as sanuki udon and basically, they’re contemporary udon noodles which might be cooked, then flash frozen. Learn extra about frozen udon under.
- Dashi powder – dashi is an excellent savory, clear, umami wealthy inventory created from seaweed and dried fish. You can also make it from scratch or, there are superb dashi packs and on the spot dashi powder/granules, type of how there’s hen inventory powder or bouillon. Extra on that under too.
- Mirin – mirin is Japanese candy rice wine and a key ingredient in Japanese cooking. In comparison with sake, it has a decrease alcohol content material and better sugar content material that happens naturally from fermentation. It’s used as a seasoning and glazing agent. They promote mirin within the Asian aisle, at Asian grocery shops, and on-line. Should you don’t have mirin, you possibly can sub the identical quantity of sugar.
- Katsuobushi – that is an non-compulsory ingredient however it should make your yaki udon tremendous umami ahead and genuine! Katsuobushi are dried, thinly shaved bonito flakes that they placed on high of yakisoba, yaki udon, and takoyaki. They’re these little pale whisps that seem like they’re dancing when the meals is scorching. You will discover katsuobushi at Asian grocery shops and on-line.
Yakiudon vs yakisoba
Should you requested me to decide on between yakiudon and yakisoba, I’d select yakiudon each time, arms down! Udon noodles are a pleasure to eat: thick and chewy and SO satisfying. Mike and I like udon a lot that we went on an udon pilgrimage to the birthplace of udon, Kagawa, Japan. They don’t have yakiudon there, however they do have the perfect udon in Japan. Udon is really the perfect noodle to make in saucy stir fry. The noodles take in a lot taste and maintain up with out getting soggy. With yakisoba generally you get unhappy damaged noodles. You’ll by no means have that downside with udon. Udon noodles are hearty, thick, and a pleasure to eat!
Frozen Udon is the Greatest Udon
Frozen udon is the perfect: it’s virtually on the spot and takes on all of the flavors of no matter you’re cooking it with. We at all times have a pack (or 5) of frozen udon bricks within the freezer. In fact, you could possibly use these on the spot udon packs, that come shrink-wrapped, however if you’d like udon on one other stage, head to your native Asian grocery retailer, take a peek within the freezer and do your self a favor and purchase the frozen udon.
Frozen udon is offered in bricks, with often 5 bricks in a package deal. They’re tremendous straightforward to organize: simply thaw and go. And better of all, many of the frozen udon that’s offered in North America is definitely imported from Japan. We regularly see manufacturers offered right here which might be the identical as what we purchase on the grocery retailer in Tokyo. They style infinitely higher than the shelf-stable cryovac udon. Mainly, search for the phrases Sanuki Udon someplace on the package deal.
Dashi powder
Dashi powder is the quickest manner so as to add dashi taste to any dish. Primarily, it’s a taste booster. You should purchase dashi powder within the Asian grocery retailer or on-line. It provides a bunch of taste and umami. Should you don’t have any available, you possibly can substitute it with hen inventory powder, however for those who do, your udon might find yourself saltier than for those who use dashi.
How you can customise yaki udon
Yaki udon is an excellent customizable noodle dish. Make it your personal!
- Beef yaki udon: sub 1/2 lb thinly sliced beef
- Rooster yaki udon: sub 1/2 lb sliced hen
- Shrimp yaki udon: sub 1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
- Vegetable yaki udon: depart the pork out and add 1 cup additional greens, resembling: mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli
- Plain yaki udon: depart the pork and greens out
Extra udon recipes
Should you’re searching for different udon-inspiration, strive these recipes:
- Every thing Bagel Pesto Stir Fry Yaki Udon
- Weeknight Thai Curry Stir Fry Udon Noodles
- The final word 10 minute spicy beef weeknight stir fry udon
- Spicy, Savory, and Utterly Addictive Mentaiko Kimchi Udon
- Chewier, Higher, Sooner, Stronger: 4 Ingredient Cacio e Pepe Udon
- Rooster Udon Recipe
- Turkey Curry Udon Recipe
- Sunday Brunch: Bacon and Egg Yakiudon
We even went to Kagawa
And if you’d like, try our journey to the birthplace of udon.
-Steph