A close relative of yakisoba is the Japanese stir-fried noodle dish known as yaki udon. Even though it’s typically made with inexpensive ingredients like cabbage, carrots, and onions, it has a delicious flavor. Due to this, it has become a popular street food in Japan that is frequently consumed at festivals known as omatsuri.
Even though I omitted the meat from this version, the shiitake mushrooms give it a flavorful boost. Simply stir-fry some thinly sliced pork or chicken before adding the vegetables if you’d prefer to make it with meat.
It’s critical to have all your vegetables prepared and your sauce mixed before you begin cooking because this stir-fry comes together quickly.
In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, and black pepper to create the sauce for the yaki udon.
A 12-inch or larger frying pan should be heated over high heat until hot. This is essential because if your pan is too cold, your vegetables will steam and become soggy.
Then add the cabbage, onions, shiitake, and carrots and toss everything together after adding the oil to the pan. Allow the vegetables to fry in peace until they begin to brown on one side, then toss everything once more to distribute it evenly.
To ensure that every strand of udon is coated and has a uniform color, drizzle the sauce over everything and toss continuously.
To get some Maillard browning on the noodles, stop stirring for a few seconds, and then toss to redistribute. Once the vegetables are cooked and the sauce has caramelized around the noodles, repeat the process.
Each of the four syllables in the word Ya-ki U-don’s pronunciation is as follows: ya like yacht ki like key u like oops don like door no
A wok is the perfect vessel for stir-fries like this due to its large surface area and steel construction. Sadly, most Western stoves don’t produce enough heat to benefit from a wok. In fact, it’s probably best to use a sizable frying pan because Western stoves were made to heat a flat-bottomed pan evenly.
Yaki udon is made with udon noodles. They usually come fresh, dry, or pre-cooked and frozen, and are made with wheat flour, salt, and water.
The type of noodle used in each dish is the main distinction between them. Yaki udon is made with thick, wheat-flour-based udon noodles. Yakisoba is made using alkaline wheat noodles like ramen. Additionally, chunou sauce, a tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce, is frequently used to season yakisoba. Typically, soy sauce or oyster sauce are used as the main seasonings for yakiudon, but I like to give the savory soy sauce a little extra flavor by blending in a little Worcestershire sauce.
Yaki-udon traditionally contains some type of meat, such as bacon or pork. For my version, I’ve made this plant-based. Just be careful to choose a vegan-friendly Worcestershire sauce as many traditional ones contain anchovies.
However, you can easily add your preferred protein to it by stir-frying your preferred meat, seafood, or plant-based equivalent before adding the vegetables. The shiitake mushrooms in this recipe provide plenty of meaty umami. I advise seasoning any protein you intend to add with salt and pepper first.
Tip #3: Cover and steam the veggies.
Instead of constantly stirring-frying the vegetables, cover the frying pan and steam them. Do make sure to reduce the stoves heat to low. All the large vegetables will quickly steam and become tender thanks to the moisture in the vegetables.
You can still stir-fry the ingredients if your frying pan doesn’t have a lid that fits it.
Tip #4: Use a pair of tongs.
If you dont have one in the kitchen, get this pair. You wont regret the purchase. Its so much easier to mix the noodles and other ingredients with a pair of tongs than trying to use a pair of chopsticks or a spatula or two. Trust me on this!
Difference between Dried and Fresh Types
Generally, they come in two types: dried and fresh. Fresh udon noodles are springy and light, in contrast to the more dimensional and dense dried udon.
We should be aware that the dried form is typically simpler to locate. Typically, you can easily make fresh udon noodles at home or purchase them at your neighborhood Asian supermarket. The decision of which to use ultimately comes down to personal preference.
When udon noodles are cooked, they have a mild flavor, but when they aren’t, they taste gluey. The flavor of the fresh ones is stronger than that of the dried ones. Although Soba is typically much healthier, it is one of the healthiest varieties of noodles.
Although it is generally discouraged, yaki udon noodles can also be made with soba if you are in a pinch. No matter what, the noodles are the most crucial component of making these dishes, so choose them carefully!
In Japan, it is customary to slurp while consuming noodles. There are a number of reasons why this might be.
First off, slurping improves taste and possibly olfactory reception in the sinuses. Another benefit is that it facilitates the consumption of food at high temperatures, enabling us to consume it while it is still fresh. Lastly, according to some, it enables the noodles to keep more soup or sauce on their surface.
Both yakisoba and yaki udon are typically consumed with chopsticks out of small, portable bowls. Instead of stooping, people typically lift the bowls up close to their faces. In Japan, this way of eating food predominates by a wide margin.
For Western foodies, there is the alternative of using forks and spoons. But if you’re in an authentic Japanese restaurant, in Japan, or in both, we wouldn’t advise doing this!
In the end, how you eat your yaki udon noodles is not as crucial. It is less of a concern while cooking and more of a matter of public presentation.
There are various different types of udon:
One might feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of different types after reading this list. However, yaki udon noodles are the simplest dish that can be prepared from scratch at home. This is why we’ve included the recipe below in this article.
While not the healthiest carb, yaki udon noodles are also not particularly unhealthy. 1 cup of plain, cooked ones contains 160 calories. Of this, 1 gram is fat, 64 grams are carbohydrates, and the final 27 grams are protein.
Although it lacks essential vitamins and minerals, it can serve as a necessary filler or source of starch in your meals. Soba is generally thought to be healthier than udon because it lacks minerals.
They are also one of the few varieties that is entirely vegan. Because of this, udon noodles are frequently used in place of pasta or ramen. They are not, however, gluten-free. It is gluten that gives them their characteristic texture.
Yaki Udon Noodles | from
Visit your neighborhood grocery store if you are unsure where to purchase them. If you can’t find it locally, try looking at the closest Asian grocer or market.
Sanuki Udon from Japan’s Kagawa prefecture is one of the most well-known. Thankfully, we can order them online and have them delivered to our homes!
Sanuki Bussan Udon NoodleBuy Now
However, it is crucial that we comprehend how flavor can be affected by the various packaging methods. This will enable us to choose the types that are most appropriate for our preferences and circumstances.
Although dried varieties are the most widely available, they frequently cannot withstand richer, heavier toppings. Additionally, it lacks the elastic, smooth mouthfeel that is distinctive of freshly made udon noodles.
Most Asian supermarkets carry frozen varieties, which are much better suited for soups. Without endangering food safety, the required serving size can be thawed and the remainder can be refrozen.
However, frozen varieties are much more likely to overcook than fresh or dried ones, so use caution.
The last is that vacuum-packed ones are comparatively uncommon and are typically sold locally by manufacturers rather than retailers. Typically, Japanese restaurants or neighborhood noodle shops are interested in these.
They are the freshest and usually most expensive kind.
Some Asian grocery stores sell fresh udon noodles. However, its structure and texture are typically severely damaged during the shipping, packaging, and retailing processes.
The ones that are dried, frozen, and vacuum-sealed keep their freshness the longest on the shelf. When cooking with fresh or vacuum-sealed ingredients, exercise extreme caution and make sure the remaining steps can be completed to the same high standards.
In the end, the type of udon noodles you use will depend on availability, cooking prowess, and price. You can even get away with using fresh or dried egg pasta if your cooking technique is strong.
Necessity and creativity are, of course, the parents of invention!
Malaysian style Udon Noodles | from
FAQ
What is the difference between Yaki Udon and udon?
Udon, a wheat-based Japanese noodle, and yaki udon, a stir-fried dish with udon noodles and a variety of meat and vegetables combined in a soy sauce base, are different from one another.
What is the difference between Yaki udon and soba?
Udon uses wheat flour for its chewy, dense, and dreamy texture, while Soba celebrates buckwheat flour for its slightly grainier consistency. Color: Udon has a glossy white appearance, while Soba is darker (often brown or grey in color).
Is Yaki Udon good for you?
Yaki Udon is a well-balanced and nutrient-rich dish that contains only 414 calories, mostly from the 33 grams of proteins from the chicken and egg and 47 grams of carbohydrates from the noodles.
What meat is in Yaki Udon?
Yaki udon (, “fried udon”) is a Japanese stir-fried dish made of thick, smooth, white udon noodles combined with meat (typically pork) and vegetables in a soy-based sauce. It is comparable to yakisoba, which uses wheat noodles in the style of ramen and a similar stir-frying technique.
Are udon noodles healthier than regular noodles?
There are 210 calories in 4 ounces of udon noodles. Since they are typically refined and traditionally made from durum flour, their nutritional profile is comparable to that of conventional Western pastas, according to Gross. In other words, they don’t boast that much added nutrition.
Are udon noodles healthy?
If the noodles are properly portioned and combined with a decent amount of protein, udon can be very healthy. A serving of udon noodles contains about 310 calories, 7 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, and 69 grams of carbohydrates.
