Udon are Japanese wheat noodles. They are made from all purpose flour, water and salt. Very simple affair, so it seems. Japanese Udon artisans make Udon that look like the ones made by machines. You can see those artisans making Udon noodles through the window at the front of good Udon restaurants. It is actually pretty amazing to watch. Udon is sometimes eaten hot in seasoned broth, but other times, it is eaten cold and dipped in sauce. It is an extremely popular lunch food in Japan and also in the US. A lot of Japanese restaurants in the US serve Udon and stores sell the noodles for home cooking, but you can make it at home. And not just the dish, I mean you can really make the Udon noodles themselves.
Because you can buy Udon noodles in many forms such as frozen or dried at many supermarkets, you might think it’s not necessary to make home-made Udon noodles. However, there are 3 reasons to make Udon at home:
1. You may like making fresh noodles at home. That’s me. I like making things from scratch. It is safe, preservative and other unwanted chemicals free. That’s can be a big deal for some people with a health conscious mind.
2. It tastes better made at home. This is just so true for any food. Home-made Udon has a different texture from store-bought, especially the dried kind. It is thicker, firmer, and heartier. Home-made Udon doesn’t get soft and soggy while you are eating it.
3. It is fun to make Udon. You knead the dough with your feet! Stepping on the dough may sound strange, but that’s the traditional way of making Udon in Japan. Get your family and friends involved in this process, and they’ll like doing it.
It’s not hard to make, but it will take some time letting the dough rest, and to roll it out, etc. The cost of ingredients is close to nothing, but you can put some labor in it. No one is an Udon artisan here, so it may not look perfect. Some noodles might be thicker than the others … but that’s OK. They still taste great. Hope you enjoy both making and eating home-made Udon!
Mix warm water and salt well until the salt is dissolved.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add salt water and flour. Mix with a dough hook at medium speed about 5 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest at least 3 hours in the refrigerator (preferably overnight).
Take the cold dough from the refrigerator and let it return to room temperature. ((Remove from plastic and knead by hand for a couple of minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.)) Put the dough in a strong 1 gallon plastic bag (such as a zip freezer bag), leaving it at least partly open to allow air to escape. Then put the bag of dough on the floor. Step on the bag of dough and knead with your feet until the dough spreads out, taking up the whole bag. Take the dough out and fold in half twice, into a smaller square. Repeat this kneading and folding 2 more times. Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest 20 minutes.
Roll out the dough to 3 mm (1/8″) thick about the size of 50cm x 35cm (20″ x14″) sheet, dusting well with a lot of flour so that it doesn’t stick, and fold the dough into 3 layers. Cut the dough to 3 mm width noodles.
Boil water in a big pot, and boil the noodles for 10-15 minutes. Strain and wash. Use as directed in recipes.
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AboutJapaneseCooking101
Noriko and Yuko, the authors of this site, are both from Japan but now live in California. They love cooking and eating great food, and share a similar passion for home cooking using fresh ingredients.Noriko and Yuko plan and develop recipes together for Japanese Cooking 101. They cook and shoot photos/videos at their home kitchen(s.)
Once the water is boiling, add the udon noodles to the pot. If you're using fresh udon noodles, they will only need to cook for 2-3 minutes. Dried udon noodles will take around 8-10 minutes.
Udon noodles are made from milled flour, water, and salt.They are paler in color than ramen noodles and tend to be subtle in taste. One of the most important things to note about udon noodles is that (unlike ramen) they aren't made with egg, meaning that udon is an awesome noodle choice for vegans.
In large stockpot, bring 4 gallons water to rolling boil. (Note: Even small quantities of noodles need to be cooked a lot of water.) Add noodles and begin timing after water has returned to boil. If cooking semidried udon, boil 8 to 9 minutes before testing; if cooking dried, boil 10 to 12 minutes.
Flour – Udon uses wheat flour for that dense and dreamy thick finish and chewy texture whereas Soba celebrates buckwheat flour with its slightly grainier texture. Color – Udon rocks that glossy white coloring whereas Soba is darker (often a brown color or grey).
Udon is made with flour and some salt. It is then kneaded and shaped like noodles. Soba, on the other hand, is made from powdered buckwheat, though in some areas, flour is also used. It is also kneaded and shaped like noodles.
Udon (うどん or 饂飩) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. There is a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a soup as kake udon with a mild broth called kakejiru made from dashi, soy sauce, and mirin.
How healthy your noodle is depends on how you cook it. A well-made vegetarian ramen dish will probably be more nutritious than an udon stir fry made with a lot of oil, but an udon soup with a simple broth will be healthier than really rich tonkatsu ramen with all the fat from the pork and pork broth.
Fresh udon noodles, on the other hand, are made with simple, natural ingredients, such as wheat flour and water. They are typically lower in sodium and other unhealthy additives compared to instant noodles.
The high fiber content of udon noodles also serves to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, and the high amount of B vitamins contained in the noodles helps to keep you energized.
Udon is found in fresh, frozen, and dried varieties. When purchased from a store with consideration for spoilage — typically vacuum packed — it means the noodle's pre-cooked. Such fresh variants have a much thicker mouthfeel than their dried counterpart and will remain sturdy throughout preparation.
The most common kinds of Udon found in stores in the US are dried and frozen. Dried Udon is much thinner and when cooked is usually pretty soft. It is a convenient choice because it has a long shelf life in the pantry. You need to be careful not to overcook dried Udon especially when you prepare in hot soup.
Udon noodles are thick and made with wheat flour. This means that they have gluten in them and can be prone to getting sticky, or even mushy when not cooked properly. If you want slurpable noodles with a nice bite and smooth texture, then you have to be careful not to overcook them.
Soba noodles originate from Japan and are considered to be far healthier than other Asian varieties like Udon noodles ( although our Neds Udon noodles are 95% fat free). Soba noodles are usually made from buckwheat which offers a number of health benefits.
Mizusawa Udon, a speciality of Gunma prefecture, is considered to be one of the three most delicious varieties of udon in all of Japan. Made from Gunma wheat flour, pure water, and specially selected salt, mizusawa udon noodles are firm, thick, and turn out slightly transparent when cooked.
Udon, being made primarily from wheat flour, is a good source of carbohydrates, while Soba, made from buckwheat, is a good source of protein and fibre. Buckwheat is also typically gluten-free, making Soba a suitable option for people with gluten intolerance, while Udon noodles contain gluten.
While dried noodles are convenient, fresh udon noodles have the best texture. You can also make udon from scratch! All you need is all-purpose flour, salt, and water. As udon dough is tough and brittle, you knead it with your feet!
If you're using instant fresh udon noodles or 'cakes' in packets, you can simply soak them in hot water for a few minutes or run them through hot water to carefully separate them. These noodles can also easily break apart so don't force it when they're clumped together.
Additional vitamins and minerals contained in udon noodles include thiamine and niacin, both vital for reducing stress and improving circulation, respectively. So the next time you see udon noodles on the menu or for sale in the marketplace, consider getting yourself a dish and enjoying a great, healthy meal!
Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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