Udon — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Thick, chewy wheat noodles served in a steaming dashi-based broth topped with green onions and tempura flakes. This comforting noodle dish showcases the elegant simplicity of Japanese cooking at its finest.

Ingredients

400g udon noodles, fresh or dried
1 liter dashi stock (kombu and bonito)
60ml soy sauce
30ml mirin
1 tablespoon sugar
4 green onions, thinly sliced
200g chicken breast, thinly sliced
4 slices kamaboko fish cake
2 sheets nori seaweed, cut into strips
Tempura flakes (tenkasu) for garnish
Shichimi togarashi to taste

Instructions

1 Prepare the dashi stock by simmering kombu and bonito flakes in water. Strain and combine with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar, stirring until dissolved to create a clean savory broth.
2 Bring a separate large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the udon noodles according to package directions, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Fresh noodles need only two minutes.
3 While noodles cook, poach the thinly sliced chicken breast in the simmering dashi broth for four minutes until just cooked through. The gentle heat keeps the chicken tender and silky.
4 Drain the cooked noodles thoroughly and rinse briefly under warm water to remove excess starch. Divide the noodles evenly among four deep serving bowls.
5 Ladle the hot dashi broth over the noodles and arrange the poached chicken slices and kamaboko fish cake on top. The broth should nearly cover the noodles.
6 Garnish each bowl with sliced green onions, nori strips, and a generous sprinkle of tempura flakes. Serve immediately with shichimi togarashi on the side for extra heat.

Did You Know?

In Kagawa prefecture, known as the udon capital of Japan, there are more udon shops per capita than anywhere else in the world. Locals eat udon an average of three times per week.