Hearty Fish Cake Udon Noodles
A Delicious Fish Cake Udon Recipe the Whole Family Will Love
My kids wanted udon, so I made this comforting and flavorful dish for them! Featuring tender fish cakes and perfectly chewy udon noodles swimming in a rich, savory broth, this udon is sure to warm you up. The broth is deeply flavored with kombu, bonito, and a hint of sweetness from soy sauce, making it perfect for a chilly day or a special family meal. Enjoy this easy-to-make, restaurant-quality udon right in your own kitchen!
Main Ingredients- 5 portions fresh udon noodles
- 4 sheets fish cake (eomuk)
- A little seasoned seaweed flakes (gim garu)
- A little green onion
- A little red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
For the Rich Udon Broth- 1 bottle mentsuyu (Japanese soup base) (500ml)
- 1 bonito and kelp tea bag
- 1/2 onion
- 1 stalk green onion
- 1 handful dried radish (mu-malengyi)
- 1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 tsp salt (or soy sauce, for seasoning adjustment)
- 1 bottle mentsuyu (Japanese soup base) (500ml)
- 1 bonito and kelp tea bag
- 1/2 onion
- 1 stalk green onion
- 1 handful dried radish (mu-malengyi)
- 1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 tsp salt (or soy sauce, for seasoning adjustment)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the delicious udon broth. Fill a pot with plenty of water and add the entire 500ml bottle of mentsuyu. While mentsuyu provides a deep flavor on its own, it combines with the other ingredients to create an even richer umami taste.
Step 2
Now, let’s add ingredients to enhance the broth’s aroma and flavor. Place a handful of dried radish (mu-malengyi), half an onion cut into large pieces, one stalk of green onion, and 1 tablespoon of whole black peppercorns into a stock bag. Using a stock bag makes it easy to remove these ingredients later.
Step 3
Add the prepared stock bag along with one bonito and kelp tea bag to the pot with mentsuyu. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. Remove the tea bag to avoid any bitterness. Continue to simmer over low heat, allowing the broth to reduce slightly. The base flavor is set by the mentsuyu, but since the noodles will dilute it, add about 2 teaspoons of salt or soy sauce to adjust the seasoning to your preference.
Step 4
Prepare the green onion for garnish. Wash it thoroughly and then slice it thinly. Finely chopped green onion will look beautiful sprinkled on top of the udon.
Step 5
Cut the rectangular fish cakes into bite-sized pieces and thread them onto skewers. Skewers make them easier to cook and serve, and they also look more appealing.
Step 6
We’ll be cooking all five portions of udon noodles. Add the udon noodles to boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Stir occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
Step 7
Once the udon noodles are cooked, quickly rinse them under cold water to remove excess starch and drain them thoroughly. This step helps the noodles stay firm and prevents the broth from becoming cloudy.
Step 8
The rich broth is now ready! It’s time to assemble the bowls. To ensure the udon noodles are perfectly warm, we’ll perform a ‘to-ryeom’ (a brief blanching in hot broth) technique. Place the cold-rinsed udon noodles into the warm broth for a short time to heat them through. Then, carefully arrange the noodles in your serving bowls.
Step 9
Pour the steaming hot broth generously over the udon noodles in the bowls. Top with the finely chopped green onions and a sprinkle of seasoned seaweed flakes. Finally, add about 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a touch of color and gentle spice. Your delicious fish cake udon is now complete! Enjoy the comforting broth, savory fish cakes, and perfectly chewy noodles together.
