Moon udon recipe
Tsukimi, which literally means “moon viewing” in Japanese, is a genteel pastime in autumn when the air is clear and the moon is full. Here, the whole yellow egg yolk in the centre is depicted as the full moon surrounded by semi-cooked egg white and noodles as clouds. Choose the freshest eggs you can find.
The all-purpose noodle sauce recipe makes 1.3l (2¼ pints). It keeps for up to 4 weeks, refrigerated, and can be used for simmered dishes and broths too.
Ingredients
For the all-purpose noodle sauce- 2 postcard-sized pieces of dried kelp
- 3 –4 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 200 ml mirin
- 100 ml sake
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 30 g katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
- 50 ml light soy sauce
- 200 g dried udon noodles
- 300 ml all-purpose noodle sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 4 slices of kamaboko, fish paste cake (optional)
- 2 very fresh eggs
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped to garnish
- 1 pinch shichimi- togarashi (seven-spice chilli powder) to serve (optional)
Details
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Recipe Type: Noodles
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 30 mins
- Serves: 2
Step-by-step
For the all-purpose noodle sauce:
- Put the kelp, shiitake mushrooms and 1 litre (1¾ pints) of water in a large glass bowl and leave to stand in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, put the mirin and sake in a large saucepan and bring to the boil for 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
- Add the kelp, mushrooms and soaking water to the pan and bring to the boil, then add 1.5 teaspoons of sea salt and the dried bonito flakes.
- Bring it back to the boil again, reduce the heat to a simmer for 5–6 minutes, skimming off any scum that floats to the top, then add the light soy sauce.
- Remove from the heat and strain through a muslin-lined sieve. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the sauce into a sterilized lidded glass jar. Store, refrigerated, for up to 4 weeks.
For the moon udon:
- Cook the noodles and portion between two warmed bowls. Keep warm. Preheating the bowls is particularly important for this recipe as you need all the retained heat to semi-cook the eggs.
- Meanwhile, heat the noodle sauce and mirin in a saucepan with 400ml (14fl oz) of water to just below boiling. Pour half a ladleful of hot broth over each noodle mound and keep the rest on a simmer.
- If including kamaboko, arrange 2 slices at the side of the noodles.
- With the back of a ladle, make a hollowed nest in the centre of the noodles. Crack an egg and gently place the whole egg in the nest and ladle the remaining broth around it, then immediately cover each bowl with cling film to “poach” the egg for 1 minute. The egg white should turn opaque white from the heat of the broth, but if you prefer the egg more cooked, microwave (800W) for 10–12 seconds.
- Remove the cling film, garnish with the chopped spring onion and a sprinkle of shichimi-togarashi, if liked, and serve immediately.
This recipe is from Japanese in 7 by Kimiko Barber. Published by Kyle Books, priced £17.99. Photography by Emma Lee.
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