The word udon has its origin in the Japanese language. It means pasta made of wheat in the shape of long thick strips. Commonly referred to as udon noodles, udon soup is quite popular not just in Japan but all over the world. You cannot prepare udon soup without udon noodles. So, while ordering at a restaurant, you can ask for either.
Udon noodles are thick in shape and chewier in texture than other types of noodles. You can use udon noodles to prepare soup or toss it with a variety of hot and sour sauces. You can also use it in a salad along with veggies and dressing if you want a healthy option.
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Simple Udon soup recipe
Now here’s a simple and easy udon soup recipe that you can try at home. You can make this dish for lunch and dinner preparations.
If you want to serve guests then it can be the perfect option for an appetizer.
Ingredients
- Udon Noodles
- Dashi stock powder
- Soy Sauce
- Mirin
- Salt
- Sugar
You can also use various toppings to make your soup healthy. Also, additional toppings such as spring onion, and chilli flakes help garnish the soup and make it look appetizing.
Directions
- Boil the udon noodle in a utensil
- Add salt to taste
- 1tsp cooking oil
- Boil and strain the noodles once prepared
- Now, take a deep-bottomed utensil to make the soup
- Add the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, salt and sugar
- Add boiling water to the ingredients
- Then add the boiled noodles to this utensil
- Cook everything together so that the flavors blend perfectly
- Add the toppings to the dish once cooked and serve in soup bowls.
You should use fresh vegetables in the soup as that will make it more delectable.
Now, many of you might be wondering what exactly is dashi powder. Dashi is a category that comprises various types of stocks. You can make the stock with bonito powder, dried fish, or even seaweed. Dashi is a common ingredient in Japanese food.
Most of the ingredients used in udon soup might be exotic to you. In case you cannot get a particular ingredient, you can always order it online.
Udon Soup Recipe with Chicken
If you want to make your udon soup healthier with a fine balance of protein, you can add chicken to it and turn it into an udon soup recipe chicken.
You can either blanch the chicken first and then add it to the soup. However, if you want to save time then you can quickly boil the pieces of chicken in a pressure cooked on medium flame up to one whistle.
Also, if you are suffering from cold and cough and are craving udon noodles then make sure you add black pepper powder to your udon soup. This will make the soup delicious and full of flavor.
Popular Udon Soup Recipes
Now that you know how to make udon soup, it is time to tell you about a few other dishes to make using udon. These are some of the most toothsome Japanese dishes to try right at home!
Kamaage Udon
It’s a simple and easy udon soup recipe. It is cooked with udon noodles and various types of seasonings. Some also use a spicy sauce or chutney to add more flavor to it.
You can consume this as part of your lunch and dinner. You can also serve it at house parties as a starter or appetizer.
Most importantly, if you are in the mood to have something simple yet comfortable then this can be your go-to food. Lastly, it is always served hot in soup bowls.
Tsukimi Udon
This udon soup recipe requires udon noodles and various types of seasoning. An additional ingredient here is soy sauce.
A raw egg yolk that is placed right on top of it as garnish. This egg is put in a manner that resembles the moon. Hence, people call it “Moon Viewing Udon”. Lastly, this dish is also served piping hot in soup bowls or on shallow-bottomed plates.
Curry Udon
As the name suggests, curry udon is a kind of udon soup. However, the soupy part here is mostly a kind of Japanese curry. It is a comfort food that is served hot.
It is mostly consumed in the winter to keep the body warm. However, make sure you use a napkin or bib while eating it as you might end up splashing curry on your clothes otherwise.
Nabeyaki Udon
It is cooked in a pot that is called nabe and hence the name “nabeyaki”.The udon noodles comes along with seasoning and broth in the nabe and then cooked together.
Most people usually prefer to add tempura to it while serving. However, some mandatory ingredients include mushrooms, different vegetables and eggs.
Another important ingredient here is kamaboko. It is a steamed fish that’s pink and white. Since this is such a warming food, it is usually relished in winter.
Kitsune Udon
This is yet another succulent udon soup recipe. It is cooked in a broth along with tofu. The tofu used here looks like thin sheets.
Another essential ingredient here is aburaage. It is a Japanese food product made with soybean and fried twice.
Tempura Udon
It is an udon soup that is served with tempura. The tempura goes on top of the noodles in the same bowl or placed separately on a side plate. You can serve this both hot and cold depending on how you wish to take it.
Tanuki Udon
This soup recipe includes udon noodles cooked in hot broth. A surprising ingredient here is tenkasu. Tenkasu is nothing but tempura batter that is deep-fried.
Zaru Udon
This dish is very similar to zaru soba in its look and taste. The main and obvious difference between zaru udon and zaru soba is the type of noodle used in both the dish.
You must serve it with dipping sauce on the side. The noodle soup requires broth boiling for enhanced taste.
Where to buy Udon soup?
If you are in Japan then you can eat udon noodles at any and every restaurant. You can visit one of the fine dining restaurants in Japan or go for street-side vendors.
Since udon is the most common noodle that is available there, you will find udon noodle soups in fast food joints situated in every corner.
However, if you live outside Japan, then you can either try these udon soup recipes at home or you can order them from a restaurant.
It is not certain whether you will get the authentic recipe at restaurants. So, you should either target a fine-dining or prepare a recipe at home.
What is the best way to eat udon?
Broadly, there are two ways to have udon noodles. One is with dipping sauce and the other is in the form of soup.
Udon served with dipping sauce
Dipping sauce can be spicy or tangy depending on which flavor you prefer. You can also add seasonings to enhance the flavor of the dish. This is usually dry and you have it both hot and cold.
Most people prefer to eat it hot.
You can eat it on a shallow-bottomed or regular plate.
Udon served in soup or broth
You use broth to cook udon noodles, it is udon soup. You cannot serve udon soup cold. These soups are perfect additions to winter dinners.
Udon with curry
Udon noodles with curry is another option to try. To add to the flavor, you can add lemon grass, roasted garlic and thyme.
These herbs offer a soothing feeling to the dish and feels refreshing to your tastebuds.
Udon vs Soba Noodles
Since udon and soba are the most common yet popular types of noodles in Japan, local pit them against each other!
While both forms are delicious, they differ in basic characteristics.
While udon comprises of wheat flour and is thick in shape, soba noodles use buckwheat flour.
Because of the buckwheat flour, soba noodles have a dark color. They also taste slightly earthy.
The most important difference between both types is their shapes. While udon noodles are in the form of thick strips, soba noodles are usually thinner in shape. They resemble spaghetti in terms of their shape.
Tips for making udon noodles at home
While you can easily purchase udon noodles from stores, there is also the option of making it at home. The advantage of making udon noodles at home is that it is usually fresh which adds to the flavor of the dish you make with them.
You will need wheat along with salt and water to knead the dough. The dough has to be kneaded thoroughly and you need to ensure that it is soft. Once you are done kneading, you need to let it rest for an hour or so.
After this, use a rolling pin and roll out the dough. You need to flatten as much as you need depending on what kind of thickness you want. While rolling, make sure you rotate it at 90 degrees after every 3-4 rolls.
Once you roll out the dough, use a spatula or knife to cut out the dough into strips.
You need to cook homemade noodles immediately once cut out. Luckily, since this is made fresh out of soft dough, you do not need to boil it for more than 5-10 minutes.
After that, you can refer to any of the recipes above and relish a wholesome udon noodle soup meal.
One thing that you must ensure is that you add plenty of water while boiling the noodles. This will prevent the noodle strips from sticking to each other and forming a lump. Even if the water is in excess, you can always strain it out later.
Varieties of Udon Noodles for Udon Soup
While fundamentally udon is made with wheat, the noodles can be cut out in different shapes and sizes. Thick strips are the most common way of cutting udon. However, you can also cut it into round strands or square-shaped ribbons. The shapes often add an aesthetic appeal to the dish.
Are udon noodles gluten free? Well no, they aren’t. But if you are health conscious and prefer a gluten-free diet, you have an alternative to try! Udon is also made of potato starch and is completely gluten-free.
Lastly, udon is sold differently. You can find frozen udon or pre-cooked udon. You can also purchase dried udon from the market. Moreover, you can store it up to several months.
You simply need to boil it before cooking.
Final Thoughts
Since udon is made out of wheat, many people tend to prefer a healthier replacement such as soba. Though soba differs from udon in texture, it is equally suitable to cook hot or cold soups. Hence soba is usually an easy substitute for udon.
Now that you have all the information you can need about udon soups and noodles, it is time to prepare the perfect udon recipe at home!
