Start by cooking your udon noodles according to the package instructions. You can use any type you prefer-homemade fresh noodles, dried, or frozen. Each type offers a slightly different texture experience, with frozen udon providing the most convenient option while still delivering that characteristic chewy texture.

When you’re cooking udon, use plenty of water and keep it at a rolling boil. This keeps the noodles from sticking together and makes sure they cook evenly. The boiling water also activates the starch gelatinization process, which is what gives udon that satisfying chewiness and smooth mouthfeel.

Once they’re cooked, make sure to rinse with water, then drain your noodles thoroughly by shaking off excess water. This is crucial for abura udon since any residual water will dilute your carefully crafted sauce and prevent proper coating.

While your noodles are cooking, prepare the sauce in a microwave-safe bowl-ideally the same bowl you’ll use for serving. This minimizes dishes and helps maintain the temperature of your final dish.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or a microwave-safe lid) and heat for 1 minute at 600W.

After heating the sauce, give it a good stir to make sure all the ingredients are mixed together. Then, put your hot, thoroughly drained udon noodles on top of the sauce.

Add your favorite toppings. My options today include chopped green onions, dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi), pasteurized egg yolk, kamaboko fish cake, and nori seaweed.

Once you’ve got all the ingredients in the bowl, mix them together. When it’s all mixed, the sauce should coat each noodle evenly, giving it a nice glossy look.

Tip: If you are using dry udon, cook them before you start the recipe. Boil for a few minutes less than the packaging states, then wash off the excess starch and let them dry in a colander. Add a drizzle of oil to prevent sticking.

Start by peeling the shrimp and separating the bodies from the shells. Set the shells aside for later use.

Devein the shrimp bodies by making a shallow cut along the back and removing the dark vein.

In a bowl, sprinkle the shrimp bodies with cornstarch and salt, then gently massage to coat evenly.

Let sit for 1-2 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over the lowest heat setting. Add the shrimp shells you reserved and let them slowly release their flavor into the oil. This process extracts the most flavor from the shells, which makes the dish taste even better.

While the flavor is gently extracting, move on to the next step.

Rinse the shrimp under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.

It might seem like a lot of work, but this step is really important for cleaning and getting the best flavor from the shrimp.

Thinly slice the onion, cube the eggplant, julienne the bell pepper, and finely chop the garlic and ginger.

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl at this point too.

Remove the shells and heat the shrimp-infused oil over medium-high to high heat. Add red chili, garlic, ginger, and onion, stir-frying until the onion softens slightly.

Add the rest of the vegetables and shrimp, and keep stir-frying until the shrimp are almost cooked through.

Then, pour the prepared sauce over the mixture and combine everything well.

Next, add the boiled and drained udon noodles to the pan and stir to coat them evenly with the sauce and other ingredients.

Top with your choice of toppings and serve right away. This dish is at its best when the noodles are hot and have that perfect texture.

In a medium saucepan, mix together the dashi stock, soy sauce, and mirin. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down low and let it simmer for about a minute to burn off the alcohol.

Right after you’ve simmered, add about 3-5 ice cubes to the broth. This quick cooling method brings the temperature down to a point that’s neither cold nor warm, which is characteristic of Koro Udon.

Let the broth sit while you prepare the noodles.

Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add the udon noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Just be careful not to overcook, because the noodles should still have a little chewiness.

Once they’re cooked, drain them in a colander.

While the noodles cook, boil another small pot of water with a pinch of salt and blanch your spinach for 1 minute.

After a minute, transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop them from overcooking and maintain their bright green color.

Rinse the cooked udon under lukewarm water.

This step is important because it gets rid of the extra starch, stops the noodles from becoming gummy, and gets them to the right temperature for Koro Udon.

Once you’ve rinsed them, shake the colander well to get rid of any excess water.

Put the prepared udon noodles in individual bowls. Just pour the cooled broth over the noodles, making sure you get an even amount in each bowl.

Now, add your choice of toppings, such as blanched spinach, toasted sesame seeds, and finely chopped green onions.

First, mix the salt and water together in a jug, stirring until the salt is completely dissolved.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s really important to dissolve the salt well when making the brine to ensure it is evenly spread through the dough. Make sure you use a type of sea salt, that is easy to dissolve in water.

Salt is an absolutely essential ingredient for udon dough, as it helps to tighten the dough.

Next, put the all-purpose flour in a large plastic bag that seals (like a large ziplock).

Pour in the salt water, seal the bag tightly, and shake it for about 3 minutes until small clumps form.

If you’d rather do it the old-fashioned way, you can pour the brine a little at a time and mix it by hand. I just think the bag method is easier, and you can do it without getting your hands dirty at this point.

Then seal the bag and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes are up, knead the mixture right in the bag until it forms a dough.

Place the sealed bag with the dough on the floor and step on it with your feet to spread it out. Once the dough is stretched and filling the bag, take it out, fold it into thirds, put it back in the bag, seal it, and step on it again.

You might think that stepping on the dough with your feet is a little bit weird, but this is a trick that has been handed down in Japan for centuries to make delicious udon noodles. It’s a great way to get the dough ready for the next step!

The purpose of foot-stamping is twofold: to promote the penetration of water into the flour and to train the dough to be tougher and more elastic by allowing the gluten to create a reticular structure.

Repeat this folding and foot-kneading process for about 15 minutes until the dough feels smooth. Then seal the bag and let the dough rest at room temperature for 2 hours.

I said to let the dough rest for 2 hours, but you can leave it to rest for up to a day. Resting the dough for a longer period of time helps it to distribute the moisture more evenly, makes the surface of the dough smoother, and makes the boiled noodles much easier to slurp.

You can put the sealed bag in the refrigerator if you want to let it rest for more than half a day.

Once you’ve had a 2-hour rest, it’s time to get your hands dirty! Sprinkle a light coating of flour over a clean dry surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it’s nice and thin.

Cut the dough in half lengthwise so it’ll fit through your pasta machine. Even if you’re not using a pasta machine, cutting the dough into smaller pieces will make it more manageable to roll and cut.

Next, set the pasta machine to its widest setting (usually 0) and run the dough through once to flatten it.

Then, adjust to a narrower setting (2 or 3) and run the dough through twice.

Then, repeat with an even narrower setting (4 or 5), then cut each piece in half so the noodles aren’t too long.

Lightly rub the surface with a bit of extra flour to stop them from sticking.

Lastly, attach the trenette (or bigoli) cutting blade to your pasta machine and run the thin dough sheets through to shape the udon.

If you’re feeling extra creative, you can also fold the dough into a manageable size and cut it by hand into noodles about 3mm (⅛ inch) thick.

To cook the udon, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the noodles, and let them cook for 11 minutes.

Then simply drain the udon in a colander and rinse with cold water to wash off any excess starch. If you’re serving the udon hot, just pour some fresh, hot water over them after rinsing to warm them back up.

When I first made udon from scratch, I was amazed at how easy the whole process actually is!

You can say it’s a bit of a workout, but it’s so worth it for the deliciously chewy texture of homemade udon!

i. Combine dashi stock, Japanese soy sauce, and mirin in a pot and bring to a steady boil at 100℃ (212°F). Let it bubble 1-2 minutes to burn off the alcohol of mirin. You’ll notice the alcoholic aroma fade to mellow.

ii. Turn off the heat and add salt. Mix until dissolved and leave on the warm stove for later. Reheat right before serving if necessary.

i. Heat a skillet on medium, lay the bacon slices in a single layer and flip once edges are deep mahogany and begin to crisp up.

ii. Reduce the skillet to medium-low and crack in the eggs. Cook until whites are just set and edges lightly frilly, 2-4 minutes.

iii. For set whites with tender yolks, you can cover the pan for the last 30-60 seconds so trapped steam finishes the tops. If browning races ahead, nudge the heat down.

i. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling 100℃ (212°F) boil. Boil udon per the package until bouncy with no hard core, then drain and briefly rinse under cold running water to wash off excess starch and restore snap.

ii. Dip back into hot water about 90℃ (194°F) for 10-15 seconds to rewarm without diluting the broth.

i. Slice two 7-10 mm pieces of kamaboko per bowl. Along the pink rim, cut toward the center without severing.

ii. Open the flap, cut it down the middle to form “ears.”

iii. Then fold both under and tuck the edge into the center slit so they stand.

iv. Press in a black sesame “eye” and dot a chopstick in ketchup for a tiny blush.

i. Reheat the broth to a gentle 95℃ (203°F) simmer, then divide hot noodles and broth into bowls. Top each with two strips of bacon, one sunny-side-up egg, two kamaboko rabbits, chopped green onion, and a small handful of tenkasu (crispy tempura flakes).

ii. Taste the broth. If too salty to your liking, add a splash of hot water, if too light, finish with a few drops of soy.

Mentaiko is sold in sacs, so make a horizontal incision with a sharp knife, open it up and scoop out the roe using a spoon. Set aside about 1 tbsp of mentaiko per portion for garnish at the end.

Whisk the egg in a bowl, then add the mentaiko and mix well.

Add the dashi, sake, mirin, sugar, light soy sauce and salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil over a medium heat.

While you’re waiting for the broth to boil, cook the udon noodles separately following the instructions on the packaging. Mix the potato starch and cold water in a small bowl to make a slurry. This will make the soup thick and glossy.

Making the slurry in a separate bowl will prevent lumps of potato starch in your broth!

Once the broth is boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer and add the slurry. Heat for a few minutes or until the broth has thickened slightly and then pour in the egg mixture.

Simmer with a lid for 30 seconds.

After 30 seconds, take off the lid and turn off the heat.

Rinse the cooked udon with hot water to remove any excess starch and divide them into serving bowls.

Fill each bowl with an equal amount of broth.

Top with sliced perilla leaves and the mentaiko you saved from earlier.

Enjoy!

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Cut the chicken thigh into bitesize pieces.

Thinly slice the aburaage (twice-fried tofu) and cut leeks into 5-6cm pieces (approx 2 inches).

Place the bonito flakes in a small heatproof bowl and microwave for 1 minute at 500W. This will dry it out more and make the texture crumbly.

Crush the flakes with your fingers until it becomes a fine powder.

Set aside for later.

Take a large pan and heat it on medium. Once hot, add a drizzle of oil. Place the chicken with the skin side facing down and add the leeks.

Once the chicken is golden, turn over and cook on the other side. Rotate the leeks from time to time to brown the surface evenly.

Once the chicken is cooked through, pour the dashi into the pan and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, turn the heat down to a simmer.

Season the soup with chicken stock powder, light soy sauce, sake, mirin and salt. Mix and then add the abuurage and bonito flake powder.

Simmer for a few minutes to warm the tofu through.

Make a weak slurry by mixing 1 tbsp of cold water with 1 tsp of potato starch. Pour the slurry into the pan and heat for 1-2 minutes or until the soup is slightly thickened.

Be careful not to cook for too long or let the soup become too thick.

Place cooked udon noodles into serving bowls and divide the soup, chicken, tofu and spring onion into each bowl.

Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi (Japanese chili pepper) and enjoy!

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Grated daikon radish (oroshi daikon) is a common addition to many Japanese dishes due to its slightly peppery yet refreshing taste.

But, did you know that grating daikon is important to grate the right part? The bottom of the daikon (the point) is strong and bitter, which is best used for pickles or strongly flavored soups or hotpots. The middle part is sweeter and great for simmered dishes. Finally, the top part near the stem is mild and best for eating raw in salads or as oroshi (grated). It’s also better to peel the outside of the daikon before grating.

Because the toppings will be mixed in with the noodles, I recommend cutting everything thin and fine for best results. The toppings you choose affect the texture of the dish, so to balance the chewy noodles and soft, sauce-soaked tenkasu, I recommend choosing a few crunchy toppings with some bite (I used okra and cucumber).

If, like me, you use wakame for this dish, soak it according to the instructions on the packaging.

Once all of your ingredients are ready, place a portion of the udon noodles in each bowl.

Arrange the ingredients beautifully on top of the udon, feel free to get creative here!

The final step is drizzling the toppings with sesame oil (which adds flavor and makes them easier to mix) and then pouring the sauce over the top! Make sure to divide the sauce equally between portions.

Mix thoroughly before eating and enjoy!

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i. Whisk the shio-lemon stir-fry sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Pre-mixing prevents scrambling mid-cook and helps the sauce cling evenly so you can stir-fry fast.

i. Set a wok over medium heat, add a thin film of neutral oil, then stir in dried baby shrimp and the white parts of Japanese leek. Stir-fry 45-60 seconds until the shrimp smell toasty. If anything scorches, reduce the heat slightly.

ii. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp and asparagus, season lightly and stir-fry until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, 2-3 minutes.

iii. Look for shrimp that curl into a loose “C” and feel springy. If your burner runs hot, pull the pan off heat for a few seconds to keep the shrimp juicy.

iv. Toss in the cabbage and bean sprouts and stir-fry 60-90 seconds until they’re bright and crisp-tender. Keep the food moving and avoid piling ingredients too high, which traps steam and softens texture.

i. Push everything to one side. Add the udon to the empty space with a spoonful of water; let them steam 30-60 seconds, then separate gently with tongs or chopsticks to loosen strands without tearing.

ii. Drizzle the sauce around the edge of the wok so it hits the hot metal first, then toss everything for 1-2 minutes until the noodles look glossy and evenly coated.

i. Turn off the heat, plate the noodles, and shower with chopped green onions, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, and some ground black pepper.

ii. Serve right away while the noodles are glossy and the vegetables still snap.

Pour the dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and light brown sugar into a saucepan and mix. Boil for 1 minute over medium heat to burn off the alcohol in the mirin.

If serving cold, turn off the heat and add some ice cubes to cool the sauce quickly. If you’re serving hot udon, add water and reheat right before serving.

i. Cook the udon according to the instructions on the packaging. Once cooked, pour through a colander to drain and rinse with fresh water to remove any excess starch.

ii. Use cold water for the cold version and chill them in the colander with a few ice cubes. If serving hot, rinse with hot water.

i. Divide the udon into serving bowls and add the sauce.

ii. Add your choice of toppings and mix well before eating.

iii. Mix well and enjoy!