Kitsune Udon
Greg Dunmore
Servings
1
I cannot pinpoint the first time I ate Kitsune Udon in Japan. Perhaps it was a quick bowl while waiting for a train or in an alleyway in Kobe. Usually, I love topping my udon with tempura or meat, so I’m not sure how I ended up with Kitsune Udon. Perhaps I pushed the wrong button on the vending machine. Regardless, it was a revelation with its simple, clean flavors that really showcased the dashi and aburaage. Now, at home with my family, this is a great dinner on busy nights, because it is so easy and quick to make. In case you’re wondering, Kitsune means fox in Japanese, making the name of this dish a reference to the foxes of Japanese folklore, who are said to love eating aburaage.
Ingredients
- 1 piece Aburaage
- Water to boil
-
¼ cup Dashi (made with Uneno Rishiri Konbu)
-
2 tablespoons mirin
-
2 teaspoons Nitto Jozo White Tamari
-
1 teaspoon Suehiro Usukuchi Soy Sauce
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12 ounces Dashi (made with Uneno Rishiri Konbu)
- 2 teaspoons sake
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2 tablespoons Shoyu Tare
- 1 portion Udon, dried or frozen, use the manufacture’s method of cooking
-
1 piece of the seasoned Aburaage (see above), room temperature or warm
- 1½ tablespoons of finely sliced scallions
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Yamatsu Tsujita Ichimi Togarashi (optional)
-
Wadaman Organic Roasted White Sesame Seeds (optional)
Aburaage: **
Broth and Udon:
Directions
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the aburaage and cook for one minute. Remove the aburaage and rinse it under warm water. This is to remove the excess oil from the aburaage.
- Remove the water from the pot and then add back the aburaage plus the dashi, mirin, white tamari and usukuchi and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- To make the broth, add the dashi to a medium pot and bring to a simmer. Add the sake and shoyu tare, check for seasoning and adjust if needed.
- Cook the noodles to the manufacturer’s directions then add the noodles to the serving bowl and pour over the hot broth.
- Top with a piece of aburaage, some sliced scallion, and, if desired, ichimi togarashi and sesame seeds. Enjoy immediately.
Recipe Note
** Aburaage is a Japanese product made from tofu. Thin slices of tofu are deep-fried, and the product can then be split open to form pouches.