Next to rice, noodles are an Asian mainstay. Give these simple Japanese noodles, known as kitsune udon ("fox noodles") a try.
As previously noted in my Oodles of Noodles article, udon can be made into round, square, or flat shapes and is often served hot in dashi broth and sometimes stir-fried. When you boil the noodles, be sure to skim the excess foam on top and rinse to remove starch at the end.
This kitsune udon recipe comes courtesy of Kimiko Barber's Easy Noodles book.
An FYI about Ms. Barber – she's an ex-commodity trader (in England) who became a financial journalist for London's Daily Telegraph while working in Tokyo. She now teaches Asian cooking at Books for Cooks in Notting Hill.
If you're intrigued by Japanese food, check out my Sushi in the Land of Samba, Comic Book Cuisine, the Rituals of Rice and Japanese Mini-Kebabs postings.
FOX NOODLES
- 4 sheets of abura age (deep-fried tofu sheets)
- 8 fresh shitake mushrooms, stems removed
- 4 pkgs (8 oz each) of vacuum-packed fresh udon noodles
- 4 finely chopped scallions
Simmering Stock:
- 1 cup Vegetarian Dashi (see recipe below)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp mirin or dry sherry
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
Noodle Broth:
- 1 quart Vegetarian Dashi
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin or dry sherry
METHOD:
- Put the tofu sheets in a strainer and pour boiling water over them to de-grease. Turn them over and repeat. Cut the sheets into 3 triangles.
- For the simmering stock: put the dashi, sugar, mirin and soy sauce 3into a saucepan and simmer. Add the tofu trianges and mushrooms. Simmer for 20 minutes or until stock has almost disappeared. Turn off heat and let the tofu cool.
- Bring a saucepan of water to boil and cook the noodles for 2 minutes, stirring. Drain and divide into 4 bowls.
- For the noodle broth: put all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat – do not boil. When hot, ladle the broth over the noodles. Arrange the tofu triangles on top and crown with scallions and shitake.
***VEGETARIAN DASHI: You'll need a 2 postcard-sized pieces of konbu (dried kelp).
Method: Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth. Put in a sauce pan and add 1 quart cold water. Bring to boil over medium heat and remove the konbu just before the water begins boiling. Let the water boil 1 minute, then turn off the heat. Add the bonito flakes and let them settle to the bottom. Strain the stock through a strainer lined with cheesecloth. Please use the same day.
Why are these called "Fox Noodles"? According to Barber, Japanese foxes adore deep-fried tofu. I wonder who feeds them?
Other great noodle recipes: Glass Noodle Soup, Party Potluck Noodles and BBQ Thai Steak with Somen Noodles.
