Warm yourself with a bowl of steaming hot bowl of Kake Udon. This Japanese dish is simple yet packed with flavor and is satisfyingly delicious! From the thick, chewy noodles to the rich and savory broth, it is comfort food at its finest!
Kake Udon is a traditional Japanese noodle dish consisting of thick, chewy wheat noodles in a savory hot broth made with dashi, soy sauce, sake, and mirin called kakejiru. It makes a comforting meal on cold days, but it is light enough to enjoy during warmer weather.
What you'll need
- Dashi- soup stock that is widely used in Japanese cuisine. It has a sweet and savory note with a deep umami flavor that adds richness and depth. to many dishes. You can make from instant dashi powder or from scratch with dried kelp and bonito flakes.
- Soy Sauce– lends a salty and umami flavor.
- Mirin- Japanese rice wine that is golden in color with a syrupy consistency. It has a slight sweetness and tang that balances the savory flavor of the dish.
- Sake- Japanese alcoholic beverage made from fermenting rice. It adds a rich, deep flavor to the soup.
- Udon Noodles – long and thick noodles that are made from wheat flour. Available fresh or dried.
- Ginger– adds a warm flavor and delicious aroma
- Spring onions- for color and touch of freshness
Two ways to make Kakejiru (Noodle broth) using shortcut methods
- Make dashi broth using instant dashi powder. Add soy sauce, mirin, sake, and salt according to recipe below. Bring to a boil and simmer.
- Use mentsuyu, a concentrated soup base made from mirin, sake, sugar, kombu, and katsuobushi. To make broth, dilute 1 part with 5 to 6 parts water and simmer.
Quick tip
Prepare the fresh udon noodles according to package directions and drain well. Rinse under cold running water to remove extra starch and stop the cooking process, keeping them firm and chewy. Briefly run under hot water in a colander to warm up when ready to serve.
How to serve
Kake udon s incredibly easy to make, using convenient items such as instant dashi powder and packaged fresh udon noodles. It can be enjoyed as is with simple spring onion and Japanese seven spice blend garnishings or fancied up with tasty toppings such as vegetables, fish cakes, tempura, soft-boiled eggs, nori seaweed, or cooked meats.
How to store
- Store the noodles and the broth separately in individual containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheat the broth in a saucepot over low heat. Run the noodles under hot water in a colander to warm up.
More Asian favorites
Ingredients
- 4 cups dashi
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons sake
- salt
- 2 packs (7 ounces each) fresh udon noodles
- green onions, chopped
- shichimi togarashi (Japanese 7-spice)
- grated ginger (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare udon according to package directions and drain well.
- Rinse under cold running water to remove excess starch. Then run under hot water to warm up.
- In a pot, combine dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Place udon in bowls and ladle the broth.
- Top with spring onions, shichimi togarashi, and grated ginger, if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Chris says
Hi,
I have a quick question about the salt.
How many grams of salt need to put for 1 serving?
Jovelyn says
It looks so delicious and tasteful. I want to eat it right now without knowing the taste. I am now a fan of Japanese soup. Can't wait to taste it.
Lalaine says
Hi Jovelyn
Oh please do give it a try. This soup is a guest post by Raymund, the food blogger behind the very popular http://www.angsarap.net 🙂