Miso Nikomi Udon Recipe
Miso nikomi udon is a hot udon noodle dish simmered in miso-based soup. It's a local speciality in Nagoya area in Japan.
Japanese Noodle Recipes
How to Make Udon Noodles
Ingredients:
1 package pre-boiled udon noodles
1 cup dashi soup stock
1 oz. chicken thigh, cut into bite- size pieces
2 slices kamaboko (fish cake)
1/2 aburaage (deep-fried tofu), slice into 1/2 inch wide strips
2 inch negi/leek, diagonally sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp red miso
2 tsp sake
1 tsp sugar
Preparation:
Put dashi in a preferably earthenware pot and bring to a boil. Mix in miso, sake, and sugar. Add chicken in the soup and simmer on medium heat until cooked through. Add udon noodles and bring to a boil. Add aburaage, negi, and kamaboko and bring to a boil again. Drop an egg in the soup and cover the pot and stop the heat.
*Makes 1 serving
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UDON NOODLES WITH ASPARAGUS AND CASHEWS
Serves: 4 to 6
Thick, hearty noodles are intertwined with delicious cashews and young asparagus in a light sauce.
8-ounce package udon noodles or wheat noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds slender asparagus, bottoms trimmed, scraped if necessary, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
2 tablespoons dry sherry or red wine
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped cashew pieces, or more as desired
Cook the noodles in rapidly simmering water, then drain and transfer to a covered serving casserole.
Meanwhile, heat the oils in a wok or large skillet. Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute. Add the asparagus along with two tablespoons or so of water and stir-fry until it is bright green. Add the snow peas, sherry, and soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry until the snow peas and asparagus are tender-crisp.
Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup cold water. Pour over the vegetables and stir in quickly. Let the liquid bubble until thickened. Pour over the noodles and toss together. Add the cashews and toss again. Serve at once.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SZECHUAN-STYLE EGGPLANT WITH NOODLES
Serves: 6
This recipe is based on one of my favorite Chinese take-out dishes.
2 small eggplants, about 1 pound, peeles, and cut into strips
2 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 small onion, minced
4 to 5 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Shaoxing red wine
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, or more to taste
8 ounces Chinese wheat noodles, udon noodles (Cook the noodles in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente. Drain and cover to keep warm.)
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, diced
4 large celery stalks, thinly sliced on a diagonal
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, or more to taste
Hot chile oil
Heat the oil in a wok or stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and onion and sauté over medium-low heat until golden.
Add eggplant strips, and ginger and red wine. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir the tofu, celery, and hoisin sauce into the wok. Season to taste with soy sauce and chile oil. Stir-fry over medium-high heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Serve at once over the hot noodles.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indonesian Noodles
Serves: 4 to 6
12 ounces udon or soba noodles or wheat noodles
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons light brown sugar or palm sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoon olive or peanut oil
3 to 4 cloves garlic
6 to 8 scallions, sliced
8 ounces fresh bean sprouts
1 to 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
8 ounces extra-firm tofu diced
Chopped peanuts for garnish, optional
Cook the noodles in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain.
Meanwhile, stir the soy sauce and brown sugar together in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok or stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until lightly golden. Add the bean sprouts, scallions, and ginger. Raise the heat to medium-high and stir-fry just until the sprouts are slightly wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the cooked, drained noodles and the tofu to the wok along with 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture is well heated through.
Serve at once, passing around the extra soy sauce mixture to anyone who wants more, as well as the optional chopped peanuts.
