Udon Noodles Recipes

Udon Noodle Soup (Kake Udon)

Thick, chewy wheat noodles in a clear, golden dashi broth seasoned with soy sauce and mirin. Kake udon (かけうどん) is the most fundamental form of udon soup — the noodles, the broth, and a scattering of spring onion. Nothing else. It is the dish that demonstrates why dashi is called the soul of Japanese cooking: the broth is nearly colourless yet layered with umami, lightly sweet from the mirin, and clean in a way that Western stocks rarely achieve. Udon is a specialty of the Kagawa region (Sanuki udon) but is eaten everywhere in Japan. The Kansai version uses a lighter, more delicate broth; the Kanto version uses a darker, more assertive soy. This recipe follows the Kansai style. Make the broth right and the noodles will take care of themselves.