RECIPE: Kawara Udon

Kawara soba is a specialty of Yamaguchi Prefecture, where legend says it was first made by soldiers who cooked it over a campfire on a roof tile during the Southwest War in 1877. This recipe has been adjusted to use a frying pan and delightfully chewy green tea udon noodles instead of soba. The refreshing taste of the green tea in the noodles pairs perfectly with the salty sweet braised beef while the addition of scallions and lemon adds a pop of brightness. 

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 200g Green Tea Udon Noodles
• Hot water for boiling noodles
• 1 Tbsp neutral oil

Kinshi Tamago (Shredded Egg Crepe)

• 1 beaten egg
• 1 tsp neutral oil

Braised Beef

• 200g thinly sliced beef (chuck or ribeye)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce*
• 1 Tbsp cooking sake
• 1 Tbsp honey (try using the Hochija Honey in this care package for a unique twist!)
• 1 Tbsp neutral oil

Udon Soup

• 100ml mentsuyu (2x concentrated)*
• 100ml water
• ½ Tbsp mirin (sweet sake)*

Toppings

• Kizami nori (shredded seaweed), to taste
• Scallions (chopped), to taste
• 4 pieces sliced lemon
• Momiji oroshi (grated daikon with chili pepper), to taste

Instructions

1. Boil water in a pot and cook green tea udon noodles for 1½ minutes less than the instructions on the package. Drain and rinse noodles under running water. 
2. Make kinshi tamago (shredded egg crepe) by heating a neutral oil in a frying pan over medium heat and pouring in the beaten egg. Spread evenly in the pan and cook through. Once the egg is cooked remove it from heat and set aside to cool. Once cooled, cut the sheet of egg in half and then into thin strips. 
3. Make the braised beef. Heat neutral oil in a pan over medium heat. Add minced beef and stir-fry. Once cooked through add soy sauce, cooking sake, and honey. Cook to combine flavors and remove from heat. 
4. Heat another frying pan over medium heat, add neutral oil then the drained green tea udon noodles. Fry for about 3 mins until golden brown, then remove from heat.
5. Put the ingredients for the udon soup in a pot, heat over medium heat, bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Pour into small bowls to serve as a dipping sauce. 
6. On a plate arrange stir-fried noodles and top with kinshi tamago and then braised beef. Add toppings to suit your taste and serve with the hot udon soup from step 5 as a dipping sauce. 

*Available for single item purchase at our Market: Michi no Eki

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