Udon is a noodle of Japanese origin, which is an excellent side dish for various dishes. What is udon noodles and how to cook it properly

Japanese cuisine is so diverse and rich in outlandish combinations of flavors that not every one of us can become its adherent. But still, it also contains dishes that are more familiar to us, which you can not only fearlessly order in any Japanese restaurant, but also try to cook at home. Udon is one of those. What it is?

In the best traditions

Many believe that the main food of the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun is rice, seafood and, of course, a variety of sauces. But actually it is not. This cuisine is very, very diverse and boasts not only an abundance of different dishes that Japanese chefs come up with, but also a special approach to the products from which they will be prepared. And here we have a lot to learn from them.

Let's start with a simple comparison. How many species do you know that are on the shelves of our supermarkets? There are probably many, but they are all made according to a general principle and often differ only in appearance. Most of them are made from wheat flour with or without eggs. But in Japan, cooking noodles is a whole tradition. And one example is the famous udon. What is it, now let's figure it out together.

A little about Japanese noodles

Unlike us, the Japanese have contrived to cook noodles not only from wheat flour. Rice, buckwheat, and even beans come into play. Each type is prepared according to an individual recipe and served in combination with a certain set of products and sauces. So, somen, for example, is usually eaten chilled and with ice, but yakisoba is served fried with vegetables, meat and other products. But today we are talking about udon noodles. Few know what it is. Well, let's fill this gap.

What is udon

This is exactly the one that is made from wheat flour, water and salt. It is somewhat similar to ours, but it turns out to be more elastic and softer. The noodles themselves are quite thick - up to 4 mm in diameter, and after cooking it looks voluminous. Its color can range from white to greyish. This kind of noodles can also be found in our supermarkets, so everyone can try to cook a Japanese-style dish at home. To serve udon to the table, you don’t need a specific recipe. The Japanese serve such noodles with the most varied set of vegetables, the main thing is that it is tasty and satisfying. We will provide you with several options.

How to cook and serve

Preparing such noodles is very simple: just dip it in boiling water and boil for 4-5 minutes after the water boils. Now you need to drain the water and rinse the noodles in cool water. Udon is ready, now you can use it for further cooking. If you cook the noodles in advance, add a little vegetable oil, udon will not stick together and such a workpiece can be stored longer. Noodles are served in a variety of variations: cold or hot, in broths in the manner of soups or with vegetables, seafood or meat. In general, if you cook udon, you can adapt the recipe to your own, quite acceptable for such a dish. And now let's dwell on a few simple recipes that will help you with this.

Udon with teriyaki sauce and vegetables

Udon noodles (a recipe with vegetables is perfect for fasting or for people who adhere to a vegetarian lifestyle) are a hearty and very tasty dish. You can change the recipe to your liking or add something new. Japanese-style sauces can be purchased at almost any supermarket in the spice section.

For one package of noodles, you will need 150 g of vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, leek stalk, Chinese cabbage and a few garlic cloves. Also get tonkatsu, cooking oil, some toasted sesame seeds and fresh cherry tomatoes for garnish.

How to cook

Udon with vegetables can be cooked in 15 minutes.

Pre-boil the noodles and rinse.
Cut the onion into rings, zucchini - into sticks, carrots - into strips, cabbage - arbitrarily, but not large. Mince the garlic.
Pour a little oil into a preheated pan, lightly fry the carrots on it, then add the onion and zucchini. Stir constantly.
After a minute, send garlic and cabbage to the vegetables, salt.
After another minute, add to the vegetables 5 tbsp. l. tonkatsu and teriyaki and boiled udon. Simmer for another minute and the dish is ready.

Serve in deep bowls sprinkled with sesame seeds and garnished with cherry tomato quarters.

Udon with chicken

If you want to give a Japanese touch to a family dinner, cook udon with chicken. The recipe will not take much time and effort, but it will turn out very tasty and original.

For one package of udon, you will need 600 g of chicken fillet. Also take 150 g of vegetables: onions, carrots, sweet bell peppers. Add a couple of stalks of celery, 3-4 cloves of garlic, grated ginger - 1 teaspoon, soy sauce and black pepper. A little vegetable oil.

How to cook

Udon noodles are pre-boiled and washed. The recipe is a bit like the first option. The base is easy to prepare.
Cut the chicken fillet into large pieces and fry a little in oil until half cooked.
Crumble the celery stalks into slices, dice the peppers, cut the onions into half rings and cut the carrots into strips. Mince the garlic.
Fry the onions and carrots in hot oil, and then add all the other vegetables to them. Stirring constantly, hold on fire for 2-3 minutes.
Pour 150 ml of water and 5 tbsp. l soy sauce. Stew vegetables for 1-2 minutes, and then add chicken fillet and boiled udon to them, salt and pepper. Keep the dish on the fire for another 5 minutes so that the fillet has time to cook completely.

The dish is ready and ready to serve.

As you can see, it is not as intricate as it might seem at first glance. It has many simple but delicious dishes. Now you know a little more about the traditional Asian dish called udon. What it is, how it is prepared and served, we examined in detail. Feel free to experiment at home.

Enjoy your meal!

Udon noodles are wheaten rather thin noodles, and they are cooked very quickly - 4-7 minutes. Often, udon noodles are bought frozen - they also need to be boiled, and they can be thrown directly into water when defrosted - 7 minutes of cooking is enough for the noodles to defrost and cook. After cooking, put the udon noodles in a colander and sprinkle with vegetable oil so that they remain crumbly and do not stick together.

How to cook udon noodles

1. Boil 2 liters of water, add 1 tablespoon of salt (tea or tablespoon - to taste). In the production of udon noodles, salt is added to the dough, so carefully salt the water.
2. Put 100-150 grams of udon noodles into the water.
3. Boil the udon noodles for 5-7 minutes, test by mouth: if soft, the noodles are ready.
4. Drain the noodles in a colander, shake lightly to drain the liquid and use in dishes.

How to make udon noodles at home
1. Measure out a glass of flour, half a glass of water, take a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of starch.
2. Pour salt into water at room temperature and dissolve.
3. Pour flour into a wide saucepan, add water and knead the dough with your hands to a uniform consistency.
4. Remove the dough into a large bag, release as much air as possible from it, tie tightly and leave for 30 minutes.
5. Open the bag, put the dough in the middle of the bag and lay it on the floor covered with a clean cloth, also cover it with a cloth on top.
6. Walk with your feet on the dough for half a minute, then roll it into a ball again and insist - repeat this procedure 2 more times, at the end insist 2 hours.
7. Sprinkle the board with starch, lay out the dough, roll it over the entire board with a layer 3-4 mm thick, sprinkle with starch on top too.
8. Cut the dough into strips (with a well-sharpened knife so that the dough does not stick), sprinkle with starch and mix lightly. Can be cooked immediately, can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Fkusnofakty

Udon noodles are very easy to stick together, so as soon as possible after cooking, it is necessary to throw it into a colander and then use it in dishes. If for some reason you need to wait, mix the noodles with butter and cover with cling film. The consistency of high quality udon noodle dough is "like an ear lobe".

When cooking, udon noodles visually increase by 3 times.

Udon noodles are wheat noodles, essentially differing from regular pasta only in that they are thicker. Invented in Japan, udon noodles are great for all Japanese dishes that call for wheat noodles. For example, in the Japanese Ramen soup, it is udon that is used, but only the one with eggs in the composition - then the noodles absorb the taste of the broth better. Also, udon is used as a side dish for any dishes. It is delicious to cook udon in a rich mushroom or meat broth, add to soup, fry with seafood and spices.

The price of udon noodles is from 70 rubles / 300 grams, and already cooked noodles are sold frozen at a price of 70 rubles.

Udon noodles are often referred to as wok noodles because most of the udon-based dishes are cooked in the wok.

Udon is a traditional Japanese dish. Connoisseurs of oriental cuisine have long known and loved this delicious noodle, but for the average consumer this dish is still a curiosity. In Japan, this dish is as popular as sushi and sashimi. But this is simply thick noodles made from wheat flour. Its main difference from all other types of the same product is the absence of eggs in its composition. Now there are more and more restaurants with Japanese cuisine, where you can try this dish and appreciate its taste. And how useful or vice versa it is harmful, let's try to figure it out.

A bit of history

Back in the 7th century BC, flour was prepared in the countries of East Asia and delivered along the famous Silk Road to China. The craftsmen of the ancient eastern civilization, which originated in the Yellow River valley, used it to make nutritious and tasty noodles, which were then exported to other Asian countries and even to Italy.

According to the Chinese classification, flour pasta was divided into several types. One of them - boiled flour cakes - includes udon noodles.

This species came to Japan around the 8th century AD. At that time, it had many different names: muginawa, tabata or sakubei - the traditional Chinese names for noodles at that time. One of the stories of the appearance of this dish in Japan says that the Buddhist monk Kukai from the country of To brought it there. This happened around 804, during the Heian era. Just at this time, the monk arrived in the Chinese city of Choan (modern Xian), which was famous for its large wheat yield. The result of this was the production of various cultures based on it, and the Seiryuji Temple, where Kukan studied Buddhist teachings, was one of the most famous producers of wheat noodles at that time. That is why this story is meaningless. Especially if we consider this fact from several angles and assume that the monk could bring not the noodle culture itself, but new methods of using it. And such an interpretation of events seems more acceptable, especially since the existence of noodles in Japan is mentioned in ancient chronicles long before this journey of Kukai. And since this monk was from the Chinese prefecture of Kagawa, it is he who is credited with the foundation of such a type of noodles as sanuki-udon.

General description and types of udon noodles

At its core, udon is a product consisting of wheat flour, and. Traditionally, for its preparation, it is customary to use special water - kansui, which is considered mineral and contains phosphates. This is what gives the dough and the noodles themselves a specific salty taste.

The color of the product is executed in gray-white tones, depending on the type of flour that is included in it, and can vary from off-white to dazzling white. It is the thickest of all types of Japanese noodles. Its thickness reaches a diameter of approximately 2 to 4 mm.

By the way, depending on the thickness and diameter, there are several types of udon noodles. Moreover, each variety is inherent in a particular region in Japan.

Types of noodles:

inaniva udon, an extremely thin variety made in Akita Prefecture;
mimi-udon - a type of noodles produced in Togichi prefecture and shaped like "ears";
himokawa - flat and wide noodles from the city of Kiryu in Gunma prefecture;
hoto - a popular dish in Yamanashi prefecture, rather wide and flat udon;
kishimen - flat noodles produced in the Japanese city of Nagoya;
Ise udon, a soft and thick variety from Ise City in Mie Prefecture;
sanuki-udon - a thick and harsh type common in Kagawa prefecture;
Hakata udon are noodles from Fukuoka Prefecture, usually soft and quite thick.

These are just some of the types of udon noodles. There are more than thirty varieties of them throughout Japan.

Chemical composition and nutritional value

Udon noodles contain a rich mineral complex and a wonderful vitamin composition. Among the vitamins, useful substances can be noted, such as:

And the mineral composition is represented by,, tin, titanium, and. Udon noodles are quite high in calories, its energy value is 337 kcal. Content - 10.4 grams, - 1.1 grams, and - 69.7 grams.

Beneficial features

Udon noodles contain a large amount of complex carbohydrates. Eating them improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, charges the body with energy and vigor, and helps to get rid of extra pounds. Complex carbohydrates are also used to prevent and treat diabetes. But they are very slowly absorbed by the body, hence their dietary value. Udon noodles, due to the special technology of kneading the dough, are digested quite easily. Due to the fact that this technology allows you to more efficiently break down complex carbohydrates.

There are many delicious dishes that are prepared using this delicious noodles. Here are just a few of them:

kake-udon - a traditional hot broth with udon noodles, crushed with finely chopped green onions;
tempura udon - hot udon served with ebi tempura (s);
kare-udon - udon noodles in broth cooked with curry seasoning;
yaki-udon - fried udon in sauce;
chikara-udon - the so-called strength noodles, served with fried rice cakes;
wakame udon is udon served with special dark green wakame seaweed.

From cold dishes, several types can also be distinguished. Dzaru-udon, traditionally seasoned with crushed nori. It is served with wasabi, chilled Japanese sauce or grated ginger on a bamboo tray. And also kidzeu-udon, such noodles are served with soy sauce and citrus juice. Often it is decorated with grated Japanese daikon radish.

Cooking noodles at home

Delicious and healthy udon noodles are made from quality products. It is easy and simple to make at home, without spending a lot of effort.

For cooking you will need:

wheat flour - 200 grams;
water - 90 ml;
salt - 1 teaspoon;
starch.

The main thing in cooking is the exact amount of ingredients. Depending on this, the dough will either be stiffer than necessary, or the noodles will spread, not wanting to take the desired shape.

Salt dissolve in the right amount of warm water at room temperature. Then you need to add flour and mix everything. You do not need to knead the dough yet, it will be enough to roll it into a homogeneous mass. The bun obtained in this way should be placed in a hermetically sealed bag and air should be removed from it as far as possible, creating such an artificial vacuum. Leave the dough alone for half an hour.

Traditionally in Japan, it is believed that the dough for making such noodles must be kneaded with your feet. It's pretty easy to do this at home. You need to place the bag with the dough on a towel and, carefully stepping, walk over it several times back and forth, thus kneading the bun. Once it flattens out, the dough is ready.

After that, you need to get it out of the package and again give it a spherical shape. Then put back and knead again. The process should be repeated at least three times. At the end of the procedure, roll the dough into a bun again and leave it in the bag for about 3 hours.

Roll out the resulting dough to a thickness of up to three millimeters, sprinkle and wrap the edges in the center. Turn seam side down and cut into vertical strips about 3 cm wide. Unroll each strip, sprinkling with starch.

Boil freshly prepared noodles in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. The frozen product should be thawed a little before cooking so that the noodles do not break in the process.

How to eat and store udon

They eat such noodles, like other Japanese dishes, with chopsticks, but the use of a spoon is also allowed. First you need to bring the bowl closer to your mouth, eat the noodles, and then drink the broth. The Japanese never drink it to the end, as it is believed that it is needed only in order to give a specific flavor to tender noodles. It is said that loud squelching is welcome in Japan. Thus, you allegedly pay tribute to the chef for a deliciously prepared dish.

Freshly made udon can be frozen and stored this way for up to a month. Ready-made noodles without freezing should be kept in the refrigerator and consumed within three days from the date of preparation. The most delicious is considered to be a freshly prepared product.

conclusions

Udon noodles are an original traditional Japanese dish. It is light and nutritious, very well absorbed by the body and contributes to its saturation with energy and vivacity. A high-quality natural product made from natural ingredients, using whole grain wheat flour, has many useful properties in its composition. It is able to have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, helping to fight depression and bad mood, setting in a good mood, improving efficiency and vitality. There are many national Japanese dishes that include udon noodles. Each of them has its own distinctive features, characteristic of the regions of Japan in which it is cooked. Udon noodles are very high in calories. It is not recommended to use it for people prone to fullness or practicing a healthy lifestyle. Also, the natural product is rich in a specific protein, gluten, and is not suitable for people who follow a gluten-free diet or suffer from intolerance to this protein.

Today I propose to cook traditional Japanese udon noodles. Udon is an iconic component not only in Japanese cuisine, but also on the menu of most peoples of Asia, as well as one of the easiest types of noodles that you can cook at home.

Basically, udon is thick wheat noodles. Its composition is extremely simple - water, flour and a pinch of salt.

What is the highlight, you ask? The highlight is in the making! The dough is practically not kneaded and allowed to rest well before proceeding with the formation of noodles. In the process of infusion, the dough becomes very tender and moderately elastic. The Japanese say: Properly cooked udon will be as soft and tender as your earlobe.

Today I propose to learn how to cook udon noodles at home according to a traditional Japanese recipe. I will reveal to you the secrets of the Japanese kneading technique, as well as share ideas on how to make udon colorful! Let's start?!

Prepare the ingredients according to the list.

A serving of classic udon for one person consists of: 100 grams of wheat flour, 45 milliliters of water and 5 grams of salt. When increasing the number of servings of noodles, proportionally increase the amount of all ingredients.

I’ll also say right away that the usual for us “Here by eye”, “And so it will do” and the classic “What ... I don’t know how to mix water with flour ?!” here will not pass, I checked!

The Japanese are clear. A little more flour - the dough will be tougher than necessary. A little more water - and from its own weight, the noodles will stretch with endless threads and completely refuse to maintain the size and width you specified.

So arm yourself with scales and measuring cups and cook delicious udon noodles at home.

Measure water at room temperature and dissolve salt in it.

To make multi-colored udon, add a little more food coloring to the water. I have natural dyes: green tea, turmeric and beetroot broth.

To prepare the beetroot broth: cut the beetroot into small pieces. Add a cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and, reducing the heat, simmer for 20 minutes.

The liquid will boil down almost twice, and you will get a concentrated broth of dark red color. Measure out 40 ml of decoction and mix it with 40 ml of cold water. Use the resulting mixture to make pink udon.

Measure the flour and pour in the prepared salt water.

Mix the ingredients, forming the mass into a ball. It is not necessary to purposefully knead the dough, just knead lightly to form a homogeneous dough.

Place the dough in a sealed bag. If you have a large ziplock bag, use it; if not, use any suitable large bag.

Remove most of the air from the bag and close tightly. Leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

Knead the dough with your feet. According to connoisseurs, this is the only way to achieve its correct consistency.

Cover the dough bag with a towel and start kneading the dough. There is no need to be zealous here: gently stepping over the test, go back and forth. As soon as you feel that the ball has become flat, that's enough. The process takes about 30 seconds, no more.

Take the dough out of the bag and shape it into a ball. Then place it back in the bag and knead again. In total, the process must be repeated 3 times.

After such a short kneading, you will immediately see how the dough has changed. For comparison: in the photo is the dough Before kneading.

And immediately after kneading.

After kneading the dough, form it into a ball and be sure to let it rest in an airtight bag for another 2-3 hours.

Dust your work surface with starch. Place the rested dough in the center and flatten it out.

Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 3 mm. You can choose any shape, but if it is a square, the udon strips will be the same length.

Sprinkle the dough with starch and spread it over the entire surface with your hands. Fold one third of the dough towards the center.

Then another.

Turn the dough over, seam side down, and use a sharp knife to cut into strips of the desired width. Usually it is 2-3 mm.

Sprinkle a few pinches of cornstarch over the dough and mix, unraveling the udon strips and rolling them in the cornstarch.

Homemade udon noodles are ready!

How much to store: the fresher, the tastier. Cooked noodles can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Noodles can also be divided into portions, frozen in sealed bags and stored for up to 30 days.

How to cook: cook in boiling water for 4 to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the noodles). It is better to cook frozen noodles a little longer - 12-13 minutes and slightly defrost before cooking, so the udon strips will retain their integrity. It is possible without defrosting - immediately throw the noodles into boiling water, but then during the cooking process, part of the noodles will break.

What to cook:, cook stir-fry, fry with vegetables, meat and seafood - there is a whole collection of recipes on our website! Choose a dish to your taste and cook with pleasure! Bon appetit!

Japanese cuisine is very diverse and quite different from all other cuisines in the world. Not every person will like it. But, nevertheless, from the variety of dishes you can find the right one for yourself. Some dishes can be prepared independently at home.

Udon noodles - what is it?

Noodles are one of the most popular dishes in the Land of the Rising Sun. It is in second place in popularity after rice dishes. It is made from rice, wheat, and buckwheat flour, sometimes from legumes. But for the first time they began to prepare it not in Japan itself, but in China. Only in the 9th century did a Buddhist priest bring her to Japan.

The diameter of the noodles is not more than 2 - 4 mm. After heat treatment, it looks much more voluminous. The hue varies from white to greyish. This type of noodles can often be seen in Russian supermarkets. Most often - in the departments of Japanese cuisine.

Traditionally, udon is served with broth. You can use it not only hot, but also cold. It can be served with a variety of vegetables, chicken or seafood.

Composition, types and calories

Udon noodles contain wheat flour, water and salt. Sometimes, along with wheat flour, a small amount of buckwheat or bean flour is added.

The calorie content of the product per 100 g is 337 kcal.

In Japanese cuisine, there are about 30 varieties of noodles. The division by type depends on which part of Japan it is made in. The most popular of them are:

Dangojiru is thicker in diameter than traditional udon.
Inaniva udon is a fairly thin noodle in diameter.
Ise-udon - this noodle is also a bit thick in diameter.
Kansai udon is a medium-sized noodle that is fairly soft to the touch.
Kishimen is flat udon.
Sanuki are noodles that are firm to the touch and thick in diameter.
Suba - vegetable ash is added along with flour.
Hoto is a wide, flat udon.

Benefit and harm

Before eating any product, you need to learn about its benefits and harms. Like any other dish, udon has both useful properties and various contraindications. But unlike useful properties, it has practically no contraindications. It can be eaten by everyone.

Due to the content of complex carbohydrates in the composition, it promotes weight loss.
Prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Prevents the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and also helps in its treatment.
Noodles are quite easy and quickly digested.
Strengthens the immune system due to the content of vegetable fiber.
Contains vitamins B1 and B3.
Eating dishes from this noodle helps with stress and nervous exhaustion.

There are no special contraindications for eating udon dishes. The only thing to keep in mind is that it is made from wheat flour, which contains a certain amount of gluten. People who are trying to stick to a gluten-free diet should refrain from eating foods that contain noodles.

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How to cook tasty noodles

Making udon is not difficult. It must be dipped in boiling water for 10 - 12 minutes. Then rinse in cold water. Now it is ready for cooking various culinary dishes.

Udon with chicken

Ingredients	Quantity
350 g
chick -	200 g
red sweet pepper -	2 pcs.
string beans -	60 g
pak choi leaves	70 g
small corn "baby corn" -	60 g
germinated soybeans -	30 g
sunflower oil -	5 st. l.
oyster sauce -	35 ml
Cooking time: 25 minutes	Calories per 100 grams: 480 kcal

Udon with seafood

400 gr - udon;
4 tbsp. l. - vegetable oil;
180 gr - scallop meat;
450 gr - large shrimp;
200 gr - octopuses;
5 pieces. - green onions;
230 gr - sprouted beans;
14 pcs. - shiitake;
3 tsp - blue-green algae;
4 tbsp - chopped dried bonito (fish);
5 st. l. - soy sauce.

Cooking time: 20 minutes.

Calories: 544 kcal.

Seaweed is soaked in boiling water for a couple of minutes. The shrimp are pre-cooked.
Udon noodles are boiled for 7-15 minutes. Then it must be washed with cold water. Then it needs to be dried.
Heat vegetable oil on fire. Scallop meat, octopus and shrimp cut into small pieces are lowered into it. Fry for about 2 minutes. Next, finely chopped green onions, sprouted beans, thinly sliced shiitake and seaweed are added. Roast for a few more minutes.
After everything is ready, the noodles are added.

Conclusion

Udon noodles are one of the most popular dishes in Japan.
The noodles are very easy to prepare.
The product has practically no contraindications.
There are many recipes for making udon noodles. Almost everyone can find the most suitable for themselves.

Bon appetit!