Yaki Udon

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Servings: people

Author: Nico Pallotta

FOR THE STIR FRY (substitutions in notes below)

14 ounces (400 grams) udon noodles vacuum packed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ pound (250 grams) firm tofu
½ teaspoon salt
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 inch (2½ cm) ginger
1 carrot
1 heaping cup (5 oz) (150 grams) bell peppers
1 heaping cup (5 oz) (150 grams) mushrooms
1 heaping cup (5 oz) (150 grams) bok choy
2 scallions

FOR THE STIR FRY SAUCE

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce

PREP INGREDIENTS FIRST

Cut ½ pound firm tofu into bite-size pieces.
Cut 1 small onion in half, then into not-too-thin slices.
Grate 2 cloves garlic and 1 inch ginger.
Cut 1 carrot into thin matches.
Cut 1 heaping cup (5 oz) bell peppers into sticks or squares.
Cut 1 heaping cup (5 oz) mushrooms into ¼ inch (½ cm) slices.
Separate leaves of 1 heaping cup (5 oz) bok choy or chop them into bite-size chunks.
Thinly slice 2 scallions ,the green and light-green tops.
Make the stir fry sauce by whisking together: 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce.
Boil 14 ounces udon noodles in water for 1 to 2 minutes, then drain them and rinse them under cold water to prevent them from overcooking.

STIR FRY TOFU AND VEGGIES

In a large nonstick pan or wok, warm 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, add the diced tofu, season it with ½ teaspoon salt, and cook it on medium heat for 5 minutes, moving it around the pan often.
Add the onion, and fry it for 3 minutes, stirring often. Then add grated garlic and ginger, and fry for one more minute or until you smell their fragrant aroma.
Add the veggies, and cook them on medium-high heat, tossing them with the tofu for a couple of minutes or until tender-crisp.

ADD NOODLES AND SAUCE

Add the noodles and the sauce, and toss for one more minute on medium-high heat until all ingredients are fully coated in the sauce.
Taste and adjust for salt, then serve the stir-fried udon noodles in bowls.
You can top them with chopped scallions, fried onions, bonito flakes (Katsuobushi), sesame seeds, chili oil, sriracha, or sesame oil.

Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 serving of Yaki Udon our of 4 servings.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Udon noodles: sub ramen, rice noodles, Chinese soba noodles, glass noodles, egg noodles, vermicelli, or your favorite Asian noodle. Don't use Japanese soba noodles.

Vegetable oil: use canola oil, avocado oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, and olive oil.

Salt: sub dashi powder.

Veggies: you can use most veggies. We recommend sticking to 3 to 4 veggies max. Try cabbage, green beans, broccoli, kale, chard, and zucchini.

Dark soy sauce: sub regular soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari, or coco aminos.

Vegetarian oyster sauce: sub regular oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, or more soy sauce.

Rice vinegar: sub white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

Mirin: mirin is a sweet Japanese wine with low alcohol content. We use a 1% alcohol mirin. Sub with sherry wine, porto wine, or replace it with 1 more teaspoon of sugar.

Brown sugar: sub white sugar, palm sugar, or coconut sugar.

Sriracha sauce: sub with chili powder or red pepper flakes.

Tofu: we like to keep this recipe vegetarian; however, you can sub beef, shrimp, chicken, or pork for tofu.

GARNISHES

Garnish with finely chopped scallions, fried onions, sesame oil, sesame seeds, or bonito flakes (katsuobushi).

MAKE AHEAD & STORAGE

Make ahead: Yaki udon are an excellent make-ahead meal for meal prep for a packed lunch, as they reheat well in the microwave.

Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for three days.

Reheat: warm the noodles in the microwave for 2 minutes or in a pan on the stovetop for 3 minutes. In this case, add some oil and a dash of soy sauce.

Freezer: we don't recommend freezing this recipe.