Stir-Fried Udon

 

Our girls recently discovered Yaki Udon. They’ve only had udon in soup. Tried this quick recipe, great for lunch or dinner. I was able to make this in between conference calls for the girls. My modifications: 1) used Shanghai bok choy instead of cabbage, 2) used 3 packages of frozen udon, and 3) added additional light soy sauce, mirin and sugar to taste. Next time, I want to remember to add sesame oil. Made this also with ground beef. 

Basic steps

1.      Pan fry ground pork untouched for several minutes. Boil water for Udon at same time

2.      Add cooking oil and pan fried garlic, ginger and shanghai bok choy and cooked for several min. Simultaneously boiled the frozen udon for several min.

3.      Added soy sauce and mirin and udon to the pork/veggies. Added chopped scallion. Tossed everything together and seasoned with additional soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Served with sesame seeds.  

Better Than Takeout Stir-Fried Udon (~from Bon Appetit)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

4 cups very coarsely chopped green cabbage (from about ¼ medium head) (used 1 chopped bok choy)

2 7-ounce packages instant udon noodles, flavor packets discarded (used three 8 oz frozen udon)

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

8 ounces ground pork (used 0.75 pounds ground pork; also tried this with ground beef)

5 scallions, white and pale-green parts coarsely chopped, dark-green parts thinly sliced

2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger (from a 1-inch knob)

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (omitted)

⅓ cup mirin

⅓ cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add cabbage and cook, tossing often, until edges are browned, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, tossing often, until thickest parts of cabbage leaves are tender, about 4 minutes longer. Remove from heat and set skillet aside.

Step 2

Place udon in a large heatproof bowl (or pot if you don’t have one) and cover with 6 cups boiling water. Let sit 1 minute, stirring to break up noodles, then drain in a colander. Transfer noodles back to bowl and toss with sesame oil. Transfer cabbage to bowl with noodles. Wipe out skillet.

Step 3

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in same skillet over medium-high and add pork, breaking up and spreading across surface of pan with a spatula or tongs. Cook pork, undisturbed, until underside is brown, about 3 minutes. The pork will never brown if you’re fussing with it the whole time, so when we say “undisturbed,” that means keep your paws off it and let the heat of the pan and the pork do their thing. When pork is browned, break up meat into small bits. Cook, tossing, just until there’s no more pink, about 1 minute. Add chopped scallions (the pale parts), ginger, and red pepper. Continue to cook, tossing often, until scallions are softened and bottom of skillet has started to brown, about 1 minute. Add udon mixture, mirin, and soy sauce and cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are coated in sauce (be sure to scrape bottom of skillet to dissolve any browned bits), about 45 seconds. Remove from heat and fold in 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds and dark-green parts of scallions. Top with more sesame seeds before serving.