Check out this vegan Japanese yaki udon mastery guide
Yaki udon, a beloved Japanese stir-fried noodle dish, captivates taste buds with its umami-rich flavors and adaptability. Hailing from the vibrant street food scene of Japan, it has conquered hearts (and stomachs!) worldwide with its harmonious medley of noodles, veggies, and lip-smacking sauces. Our recipe features a vegetarian and eggless spin, making it a perfect vegan-friendly delight. Time to fire up those woks and transport your senses to vegan Japan!
Gather the following ingredients
To make vegan Japanese yaki udon, you need 200 grams of udon noodles, one tablespoon of vegetable oil, two cloves of garlic (minced), one small onion (sliced), one carrot (julienned), 100 grams of cabbage (shredded), two tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon of mirin (optional), one teaspoon of sugar, salt to taste, and freshly ground black pepper. And, spring onions and sesame seeds for garnishing.
Preparing the udon noodles
Start by preparing the udon noodles. Cook them according to the package instructions. Typically, this means boiling them in water for approximately eight minutes until they're al dente (i.e., cooked so as to be still firm when bitten). After cooking, drain them in a colander and rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process. This step is crucial as it prevents the noodles from turning mushy when stir-fried later.
Stir-frying the vegetables
Heat vegetable oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sliced onion to the pan and saute until they start to soften and become fragrant. Then, throw in julienned carrots and shredded cabbage into the mix. Stir-fry these veggies for about five minutes or until they start to soften but still have some crunch to them.
Combining noodles with vegetables
Add the cooked udon noodles to the pan with vegetables. Pour soy sauce, mirin if using (for added sweetness), sugar over the noodle and vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together, making sure the noodles are well coated with sauce and evenly mixed with vegetables.
Final touches before serving
Once everything is heated through and well combined (after about three minutes of tossing on high heat), remove from heat. Give your yaki udon a taste and adjust as needed - you can add more soy sauce for saltiness or sugar for sweetness at this stage if you want. Serve hot with a sprinkle of chopped spring onions and a dash of sesame seeds on top for an extra crunch.
