📝 About This Recipe
Kake Udon is the soul-soothing cornerstone of Japanese noodle culture, celebrated for its elegant simplicity and deep umami profile. This dish features thick, chewy wheat noodles swimming in a crystal-clear 'Kakejiru' broth made from high-quality dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. It is the perfect warm embrace on a cold day, offering a masterclass in balancing subtle salty, sweet, and smoky flavors.
🥗 Ingredients
The Noodles
- 2 packs Frozen Udon Noodles (Sanuki-style preferred for best texture)
The Dashi Stock
- 4 cups Water (Filtered water provides the cleanest taste)
- 1 piece Kombu (Dried kelp, about 4x4 inches)
- 2 cups Katsuobushi (Dried bonito flakes, loosely packed)
The Kakejiru Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons Usukuchi Soy Sauce (Light-colored soy sauce to keep the broth clear)
- 1.5 tablespoons Mirin (Authentic brewed mirin is best)
- 1/2 teaspoon Sugar (To balance the saltiness)
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt (Adjust to taste)
Garnish and Finish
- 2 stalks Green Onions (Finely sliced on a bias)
- 2 tablespoons Tenkasu (Crunchy tempura bits)
- 4 slices Kamaboko (Japanese pink-rimmed fish cake)
- 1 pinch Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese seven-spice powder for heat)
- 1 teaspoon Ginger (Freshly grated)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Begin by wiping the kombu with a damp cloth (do not wash off the white powder, as that is pure umami) and place it in a medium pot with 4 cups of water. Let it soak for 30 minutes if time permits.
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2
Place the pot over medium heat. Just before the water reaches a rolling boil (look for small bubbles around the edges), remove the kombu to prevent the broth from becoming slimy or bitter.
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3
Add the katsuobushi (bonito flakes) to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes.
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4
Turn off the heat and let the flakes sink to the bottom of the pot, which takes about 2 minutes. This ensures a clear, sediment-free dashi.
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5
Strain the dashi through a fine-mesh sieve lined with paper towels into a clean pot. Gently press the flakes to extract every drop of liquid gold.
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6
Add the usukuchi soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and salt to the strained dashi. Bring it to a very gentle simmer over low heat to keep it hot while you prepare the noodles.
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7
In a separate large pot, bring plenty of water to a vigorous boil. There is no need to salt this water as the udon itself contains salt.
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8
Add the frozen udon noodles to the boiling water. Use chopsticks to gently untangle them as they thaw. Cook for 1-2 minutes or according to the package instructions until 'al dente'.
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9
Drain the noodles thoroughly in a colander. For the best texture, quickly rinse them under hot running water to remove excess starch, then shake well to remove all water.
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10
Warm your serving bowls by rinsing them with hot water; this prevents the soup from cooling down too quickly.
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11
Divide the hot noodles between the two warmed bowls, nestling them neatly in the center.
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12
Ladle the hot Kakejiru broth over the noodles until they are just submerged.
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13
Top each bowl with two slices of kamaboko, a generous sprinkle of green onions, and a spoonful of tenkasu.
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14
Serve immediately with a small mound of grated ginger on the side and a dusting of shichimi togarashi for those who enjoy a subtle kick.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use frozen udon over shelf-stable vacuum-packed ones; the frozen variety has a vastly superior 'koshi' (chewy bounce). Usukuchi (light) soy sauce is essential for the aesthetic; regular soy sauce will make the broth too dark and overly earthy. Never boil the bonito flakes for too long, or the broth will become cloudy and develop a fishy 'off' flavor. If you don't have tenkasu, you can crush a few plain rice crackers or use panko breadcrumbs toasted in a little oil as a substitute for crunch. Adjust the sweetness by adding mirin half a teaspoon at a time; the broth should be savory first with a very faint sweet finish.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a side of vegetable or shrimp tempura for a classic 'Tempura Udon' experience. Serve with Inari Sushi (sweet fried tofu rice balls) to make a heartier meal. A chilled glass of dry Sake or a hot roasted Hojicha tea complements the umami of the dashi beautifully. Add a soft-boiled 'Ajitama' egg or a poached egg directly into the hot broth for extra richness. Include a small side dish of pickled daikon (takuan) to provide a refreshing, crunchy contrast to the soft noodles.