RECIPE: Fu Chanpuru

Transport yourself to the tropical Okinawan islands with this delicious and simple fu chanpuru recipe!

The prefecture of Okinawa is a chain of islands off the coast of southwestern Japan and is known for its unique culture and cuisine! There are many dishes that are different from mainland Japan and that are unique to Okinawa.

One uniquely special Okinawan ingredient to try is fu! Fu is a type of wheat gluten that is light brown and formed into a cylindrical shape. It has a delightfully chewy texture that will enhance any dish! Before being used for cooking, you will need to soak fu in water for about 15 minutes and then squeeze the excess water from it.

This recipe will show you how to make one of the most famous Okinawan recipes that uses fu as a main ingredient! Chanpuru means “something mixed” and is a hearty Okinawan meal that can be adjusted to your liking. Stir fry meals like chanpuru are beloved in Japan for their quick prep and customizable ingredients. Feel free to add or subtract any of the ingredients listed in this recipe to your preference. Add less protein for a lighter meal or pack on more meat and tofu for a hearty meal to last you all week!

Fu chanpuru is the perfect recipe for meal-prepping because the flavors actually enhance over time. Made from konbu (kelp), the delicious dashi powder in this recipe will strengthen over time and give your fu chanpuru a umami, sweet flavor. The dashi flavor will complement your vegetables, meats, and Okinawan fu!

Try making fu champuru for your next quick and simple meal prep! You will still be able to enjoy the delicious flavors over the course of many days and experience a flavor that slowly deepens!

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks Okinawan Fu
• 2 eggs
• 2 pinches of salt 
• 2 x 1 tbsp oil
• 150g sliced pork or sausages (cut into bite size pieces)
• ¼ carrot (julienne) 
• 100g bean sprouts
• ¼ bunch chives or scallions (cut into 1” pieces)
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 tsp dashi powder

Instructions:

1. Cut the fu into 1cm sized pieces and soak them in water for 15 mins. Drain. Gently squeeze out any excess water and set aside.
2. Beat the eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt, and add the fu from step 1.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and cook the fu and egg from step 2 over high heat. Remove when the fu has browned and the eggs have cooked.
4. Add 1 tbsp of oil to the same pan and fry the pork/sausages with a pinch of salt. When the meat changes color, add the carrots and bean sprouts and fry over high heat.
5. Add the chives and stir-fry briefly. Add the fu and egg from step 3, season with salt, pepper and dashi powder, and serve.

Introduction courtesy of Kimberlee Laney

As a Japanese-Korean-American, my love for Japanese food first came from my grandmother's kitchen! Japanese food feels like home and I love being able to cook it anywhere in the world to connect with Japan in my own little way. I love diving deep into the layers of Japanese food and always marvel at the food diversity between prefectures. I'm currently eating my way through Tokyo and taking up photography with my Instagram account @capturingkim!