Bukkake Udon (Japanese Cold Noodles With Broth)
- Yield:Makes 2 bowls
- Active time:15 minutes
- Total time:15 to 45 minutes, depending on cooling method
- Rated:
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
Japanese chilled udon noodles, served with a cold soy-based broth and topped with your choice of condiments, like grated fresh ginger, a soft-cooked egg, and scallions, are all you need to keep cool and fed in the summertime.
Why It Works
Go wild on this bowl of chilled udon. Read the Whole Story- A mixture of soy, mirin, and sugar is blended with dashi to create a deeply flavorful broth in no time.
- Having your choice of toppings and condiments means the bowl can be exactly as you want it.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) mirin
- 1 teaspoon (4g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
- 3/4 cup (180ml) homemade or instant dashi, chilled (see note above)
- 2 (7-ounce; 200g) servings store-bought udon noodles
- Assorted garnishes and toppings of your choice, such as bonito flakes, nori sheets, thinly sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, soft-cooked onsen eggs, grated fresh ginger, grated daikon radish, and pickled sliced ginger
Directions
-
1.
Combine mirin, sugar, and soy sauce in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and set in the refrigerator to chill. (You can also rapidly cool by pouring mixture into a stainless steel mixing bowl and nesting that bowl in a slightly larger mixing bowl filled with ice water.)
-
2.
Combine 1/4 cup of the soy/mirin mixture (kaeshi) with dashi and stir. Taste mixture and add remaining kaeshi if desired. Keep chilled.
-
3.
In a medium pot of boiling water, cook udon until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes (or follow cooking time on package if it differs). Transfer to an ice bath to chill. Drain noodles well.
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4.
Transfer noodles to 2 soup bowls. Top with garnishes and condiments of your choice, then pour dashi broth into each bowl and serve.