Yaki udon

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This quick and easy noodle dish is packed with flavor and easy to adapt. Perfect for a tasty meal on busy days.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings: (approx, see notes)

Calories: 533kcal

Author: Caroline

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Ingredients

2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cups grated carrot
4 shitake mushrooms
3 green onions
2 teaspoon crushed garlic optional
2 teaspoon grated ginger optional
½ tablespoon vegetable oil or other neutral oil
½ lb ground pork pork mince, see notes
14 oz fresh udon noodles 14oz is 2 individual packets

For sauce

¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoon sake
2 tablespoon mirin
2 teaspoon sesame oil

To garnish (optional, or use others, to taste)

½ tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
½ tablespoon pickled ginger

Instructions

Shred the cabbage finely, coarsely grate the carrot and thinly slice the mushrooms, removing the tougher stems. Peel the outer layer from the green onions then thinly slice the white and light green part. Have the crushed garlic and grated ginger ready. Combine the soy, sake and mirin for the sauce.
Warm a wok or wide saute pan over a medium-high heat then once warm, add the oil then add the pork into the oil, pressing into a relatively thin layer. Leave it to get a good sear then flip it over to sear the other side.
Break up the meat with a spatula then add the green onion, garlic and ginger (if using), cook briefly so they are aromatic but not burning, then add the cabbage and carrot. Cook, stirring now and then, for around 2 - 3 minutes until the vegetables are starting to soften. Add the shitake mushrooms and cook a minute or two more.
Add the noodles to the wok/pan, separating them as you add as best you can. Mix through briefly then pour over the soy-sake-mirin sauce. Use tongs to toss the noodles, meat and vegetables so they become coated in the sauce, particularly the noodles. After a couple minutes, the sauce will be largely absorbed. Add the sesame oil, toss gently to mix through then remove from heat.
Divide between plates to serve and top with toasted sesame seeds, some finely cut green part of the green onions and thinly sliced pickled ginger (or none/other garnishes to taste).

Video

Notes

You can adapt the ingredients to what you have, eg change quantity, omit or swap out vegetables or change the protein. I like using ground pork but you can also use thinly sliced pork belly, sliced chicken or shrimp. Other ground meats also work, though I think pork gives the best flavor. If using a protein that can dry if cooked longer like chicken breast or shrimp, cook them first then remove before cooking the vegetables and noodles. Add back in after adding the sauce to warm and mix through.

Use fresh udon noodles, if at all possible, or frozen. The straight to wok kind also work.

This serves 3 or can be 4 portions that are on the slightly smaller side. We often use 3 of the individual packets of udon rather than 2 to make 4 slightly larger servings, sometimes leaving the rest as for 3. Though I personally prefer the balance of other ingredients with 2 rather than 3 packs, so feel free to scale up everything else if you want to use more noodles and serve as larger portions (or don't if you want it more "noodly").

Nutrition

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