Seafood Udon

Watch this video to see me in my pink socks with ears stomping on Udon dough—yes, it’s as fun (and silly) as it sounds! Traditionally, the dough for Udon is kneaded with your feet, not your hands (listen to the explanation in my new video on my YouTube channel). But don’t worry—this is all done inside a sturdy freezer bag (I love a good Ziplock!) so the dough stays pristine while you show off your best dance moves. Udon is all about that perfect plump and soft, chewy texture. I used to wonder why all-purpose flour is used instead of a strong bread flour. It turns out that lower-gluten flour (versus high-gluten bread flour) is exactly what gives Udon its wonderful softness. A quick note on the flour-salt-water ratio: for every 100g of flour, use 5g of salt and 45g of water—this makes one portion of Udon noodles. Because that’s just 50% hydration, the dough can feel quite stiff and difficult to knead. That’s why we rely on body weight (and feet!) to stretch it out in the bag.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Dissolve salt in water. Gradually add it to the flower, mix with chopsticks. Press the crumbs together to make a ball. Cover and let hydrate for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Stretch and fold the dough inside a thick freezer Ziplock using your feet and the whole body weight 5-6 times.

Step 3

Cover with plastic wrap in contact and let rest for 1 hour.

Step 4

Divide the dough into two even portions. Roll each one into a rectangular 3 mm/0.1 inch thick. Sprinkle the dough with flower, fold like a booklet, and cut the noodles. Unfold each noodle and lightly roll it with your palms.

Step 5

Boil water in a large pot. Cook each portion of the noodles for about 7 minutes after they float. Transfer them into cold water and wash them with your hand removing starchy cover. Strain and place into a container with a lid. Keep them at room temperature if serving soon, otherwise keep refrigerated.

Step 6

Make dashi. Steep it over low heat to extract flavors. Strain a reserve until ready to serve.

Step 7

Steam vegetables for 3-5 min.

Step 8

Prepare seafood: place dry konbu on a small plate and arrange seafood on top. Drizzle seafood with sake. Steam seafood for 6-7 min or less, depending on size. Do not overcook!

Step 9

To serve, place cold udon noodles into the dash mixed with kaeshi (to your taste) and reheat until the dash starts simmering over low heat. Serve it hot, place steamed vegetables and seafood into the bowl with noodles and let the temperatures become balanced. Add some spice mix to your taste. Enjoy!

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