Udon Noodles

Years ago, when I was teaching in Hysham, I had a Japanese teacher stay with me. The first time we had noodles she loudly slurped them up and I was appalled; but after reading about the Japanese culture everyone slurps their noodles, in fact, when I visited her in Japan we went to a restaurant that served noodle-based dishes and EVERYONE was slurping - you should have heard it - but, it’s kind of fun!
One of my very favorite Japanese noodles that I had was called Udon. They are kind of like the home-made egg noodles my mother used to make for her Chicken and Noodles. Over the years I have tried to find a recipe so I could make them myself, but wasn’t very successful - until the other day I received a recipe from one of the blogs I have a subscription to and they showed how to make the dough in the bread machine I have - so I had to make some that day. I couldn’t believe how easy it was and it made enough that I froze eight packages for future recipes.
I also found a video on YouTube that showed how you can make it without a bread machine - by putting the dough in a plastic bag and walking on it - now that would be fun! She also used beet juice to color the noodles pink. I have included both recipes in this column plus a recipe that uses the noodles after you get them made.

Udon Noodles

source: www.justonecookbook.com

7 oz all-purpose flour
80 ml water for pink udon -90 ml for regular white udon
about 2 tsp beet juice - (See ingredients below), Skip beat juice for regular udon
about 2 1/4 tsp salt
Potato or corn starch - or flour for rolling and dusting
For Beet Juice:
1 beet
1 cup water
Peel and slice the beet root into 1/2” thickness.
Put sliced beets and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan and cook for about 20 minutes until the beet juice is reduced to about 2 Tbsp.
Save the beet juice in a small bowl. Combine 80 ml water and 2 tsp. of beet juice. Add the 2 1/4 tsp. salt and mix until it’s completely dissolved.
Place the flour in a large bowl and add the salted beet juice little by little while mixing with hands.
Combine the dough until there is no dry flour left and form into a ball. If there is some flour left, add tiny bit of water. Then place the dough in the large durable plastic bag (such as 5 gallon Ziploc bag). Close the bag leaving a small air gap and leave it for 20-30 minutes to relax the gluten.
Just in case the plastic bag breaks, place the bag between 2 kitchen cloths on the floor. Step on the dough with your feet (heels) using your weight. Turn around and press from the inward to outward. You can do this step with your hands, but it will take more effort and time. Stepping udon dough with your feet is a common practice in Japan! Step on the dough until the dough is completely flatten.
Take out the dough and fold it into a ball again. Place it in the bag and close the bag leaving a small air gap.
Step again until the dough is stretched and flatten. Take out the dough and fold into a ball again. Repeat this process one more time (total 3 times), or until the dough is soft just like ear lobe (that’s how we say in Japan).
After the 3rd round of stepping the dough, fold it into a ball and place in the plastic bag. Seal tight and rest the dough for 2 hours (3 hours or overnight in winter).
Dust the working surface with potato/corn starch and take out the dough. Form a nice round ball and then flatten with your hand.
Using a rolling pin, stretch the dough into a rectangular shape. Dust the dough with potato/corn starch in between to make sure the dough is not sticky. Turn the dough 180 degree and stretch it evenly.
Once it’s nice rectangular shape, turn 90 degree and stretch to make it into square. If the dough is square, all the noodles will have the same length when you cut them.
When the dough is a square shape, roll the dough into a rolling pin and stretch to let the rounded corner into more pointed tip. Make the dough into 1/8” thickness.
Dust the potato/corn starch on top of the dough and fold the dough like an accordion.
Put more potato/corn starch on top and then cut noodles into 1/8” thickness. Pick up some noodles and fluff the noodles to make sure the noodles are covered with the potato/corn starch to prevent from sticking to each other.
If you cook immediately, boil a big pot of water and cook for 10-12 minutes (depending on thickness of your noodles). Stir the noodles so they don’t stick to each other. Drain and rinse well with cold water to remove the starch. Drain and they are ready to use for your favorite udon recipe.
If you don’t use the udon noodles right away, you can divide them into small portions (100 g per person) and freeze in an airtight containers/bags.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgvW2czmEqs

Udon (Teuchi)

Source: www.zojirushi.com

Udon is a Japanese wheat noodle that is thick and chewy. Did you know that udon can be easily made at home? Freshly made udon tends to be chewier than prepackaged ones. Enjoy this versatile noodle hot, cold or even stir-fried!
Ingredients (for 2-lb. breadmaker)
1-1/3 cups water
2 tsp. salt
2-1/2 cups bread flour
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
Bread flour for dusting
This recipe was developed for the Home Bakery Virtuoso® Breadmaker (BB-PAC20) and Home Bakery Supreme® Breadmaker (BB-CEC20). Adjustments may be required for making this recipe in other models of the Home Bakery.
Make sure the kneading blades are properly attached. Dissolve salt in water and add mixture and flour ingredients (except flour for dusting) to the baking pan. Place baking pan into the Home Bakery, close the lid and plug the cord into the outlet. Select the HOME MADE course. Press CYCLE button turning OFF the following: Preheat, Rise 1, Rise 2, Rise 3, Shape, Bake, Keep Warm. Select the KNEAD cycle. Press and hold TIME until the display shows 0:20. Then press CYCLE twice to record. Press START.
When the HOME MADE course completes, press CANCEL and remove dough from baking pan. Roll dough into a ball and divide into 8. Wrap each ball with plastic wrap and let rest for 2 hours at room temperature.
Place dough on a lightly floured board and roll each ball into 1/8” thick sheets. Dust surface of dough with flour and fold into thirds.
Using a chef’s knife, cut folded dough into 1/4” thick strips. Gently unfold each noodle and dust with flour to prevent from binding and drying. Be careful when slicing dough with a sharp knife.
Cook the noodles. In a large pot, bring water (not included in the ingredients list) to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 10-13 minutes or until translucent and chewy. Stir occasionally to prevent noodles from sticking. Be careful not to let it boil over – pour a small amount of water (not included in the ingredients list) to the boiling water to prevent from boiling over.
Immediately drain noodles and rinse with cold running water to remove surface starch. Transfer to a strainer to drain excess water.

Hoisin Chicken Udon Noodles

Source: www.jocooks.com

2 servings fresh udon noodles - or 8 oz of dry udon noodles cooked
2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless - cut into small pieces
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce - low sodium
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
2 T. hoisin sauce
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
4 white mushrooms - sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 green onions - chopped
black pepper to taste
Blanch udon noodles in boiling water for about 1 to 2 minutes or if using dry noodles cook according to package instructions. Drain well and immediately rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil and sesame seed oil in a large skillet or a pot and add chicken pieces and cook until chicken is no longer pink and starts to brown slightly. Add ginger, garlic and mushrooms and cook for a couple more minutes until mushroom are starting to brown.
Add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sriracha and chicken broth, stir and bring to a boil. Add noodles to the pot and cook until noodles are heated through. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.