Only 4 ingredients separate you from these fresh Japanese noodles, which are waiting to be added to a large bowl of udon noodle soup or curry udon. Get ready to make these incredibly easy homemade udon noodles from scratch… with your feet.
We learned the fine art of making Japanese udon noodles with our feet in the mountains of Shikoku, Japan, and to this day, it remains one of our favorite travel memories. Yep. You read that right.
The simplest method for creating homemade noodles from scratch is this one. We love that we can prepare a batch at any time and either consume them immediately or immediately freeze them for later enjoyment.
These delectable chewy noodles are very popular in Japanese cuisine. They are typically served with a light soy sauce, a simple broth, or Japanese curry roux as curry udon. It’s the perfect light meal to fill you up.
Tip #6: Do not skip “resting” time
It’s crucial to allow the gluten to relax before working with the noodle dough, following the same procedure as when making bread.
How to Make Udon Noodles Recipe – Step By Step
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add 1 1/4 cups water. Mix with your hands until a few big lumps of dough begin to form. The dough should be firmly pressed and kneaded, with any remaining loose flour being thoroughly incorporated. If more water is required, add it 1 tablespoon at a time until all the flour has been incorporated.
Knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Dough should be covered with plastic and rested for about an hour. The dough will relax as a result, making rolling it out easier. *Jaden’s note: I find that resting the dough for longer than an hour makes it much easier to roll out (the timing is flexible here; I’ve let my dough rest anywhere between 1-3 hours).
Use a big rolling pin (Chef Morimoto likes to use a heavy, straight, wooden rolling pin like this one.)
Roll the dough, rotating it every so often by 90 degrees and lightly dusting with flour.
Dough thickness should be slightly less than 1/4″.
If the dough is too resistant, wrap it in plastic and let it rest for 5–10 minutes.
When the dough is the desired thickness, fold it in thirds (like a letter fold) and cut it into noodles that are 1/8′′ thick.
Dust noodles with flour and separate. Cook immediately.
According to Chef Morimoto, dried udon noodles are acceptable and pre-cooked udon from the store work well. But homemade udon is unbeatable, and you can actually make the irresistibly smooth, chewy spring noodles at home, despite what you may have heard. Udon takes no great skill. Just water, flour, a rolling pin and a little patience. Put the dough in a sealable plastic bag, wrap it in a towel, and use your feet to knead if doing so makes your arms sore. This will activate the gluten in the flour and give the noodles their texture.
How to make udon with your feet:
Yes! Although, it will be a lot harder by hand. Additionally, you might consider using your KitchenAid, but only for the kneading stage. Given that the dough is quite tough, we advise keeping it on a low setting of about 2-3. Continue mixing it initially with your hands to achieve the desired texture.
We use and recommend bread flour. Getting the ideal udon texture benefits from the higher gluten content. You can also use whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour.
Yes and yes. After cutting the udon noodles, you can freeze them if you want to. Put them in divided portions and seal the ziplock bags. It’s best to use them up within a month. When ready to cook, do not thaw; simply drop them into boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes, or until they float to the surface. If you’re not sure, try one to see if it has the texture you like. Noodles can also be stored in the refrigerator, but for the best texture, we advise freezing rather than chilling. You must also place the udon dough in a ziplock bag or other tightly sealed container if you plan to freeze it. When you’re ready to make noodles, place it out on the counter to thaw for one or two hours at room temperature. Then roll out, fold and cut as normal.
FAQ
How Japanese noodles are made?
The ingredients for the dough are wheat flour, salt, water, and kansui, or an alkaline water variant. Before being rolled out into noodles, it is given time to rise. The noodles are sometimes referred to as chuka soba (), which translates to “Chinese soba,” and are believed to have originated in China. ”.
What is udon noodles made from?
Udon noodles are thick and white because they are made from wheat flour. Best as fresh, they are soft and chewy. They can take on the flavors of dishes and ingredients with strong flavors because of their neutral flavor. Udon that has been dried is also tasty, but the texture is denser.
What is the authentic Japanese noodles?
Udon noodles Made from wheat flour, udon are white, thick Japanese noodles. They are frequently used in traditional hot Japanese noodle soup recipes and have a delightfully chewy texture. The udon is served in a flavorful dashi soup broth with several flavorful garnishes on top.
What is difference between ramen and udon?
Ramen is made with eggs, whereas udon is vegan, which is the primary distinction between the two types of noodles. Nona Lim ramen is also vegan-friendly because we don’t use eggs to make our noodles. The use of kansui in ramen to give it that authentic flavor and color is another one of the key distinctions.
