Homemade Japanese Cold Udon Noodles 手打ちうどん

For many years I've gone to the local store and purchased the dry udon noodles, boiled them, and ate them as the default home-cooked version of this traditional Japanese dish. But have you tried real, fresh made udon? Years ago when I visited a place called Sanuki さぬき on the island of Shikoku 四国 in Japan (sure seemed like quite a mystical place, all densely foggy and sparsely populated), I had the pleasure. The region is famous for udon noodles, and tourists (Japanese that is) from all over the country make pilgrimage to this region to try the amazing noodles there. I can't claim to make any such thing, but on this recent occasion, I made my own homemade fresh udon noodles. Once I tried this recipe, I can never look at those prepackaged things the same again.

Ingredients:

• 250g cake flour 薄力粉
• 250g bread flour 強力粉
• 225g water 水
• 25g salt 塩
• potato starch, for rolling out the dough 片栗粉

The idea here is that I want to make these noodles out of a type of flour called 中力粉, which it turns out there's no English translation for this word because it just isn't sold this way elsewhere. It means a medium amount of gluten flour - so, best way to substitute, as my friendly local Japanese supermarket store clerk suggested, is to mix half cake flour and half bread flour. 

I take a gallon size Ziploc bag and combine all the ingredients in it. Lightly knead it with my fingers to spread the water evenly through the dry ingredients. After that, it rests for about an hour. (Don't rush a good noodle!)

Have you ever made fresh pasta without a pasta machine? It is hard work! Well, guess what... so is kneading the dough for udon. I may even say it's even tougher than pasta! What a pain you say, and so do I. So here's an easy workaround and a sure-fire way to give these noodles the proper massaging they need for a beautiful result. 

I seal the Ziploc bag after getting rid of most of the air inside it, then take two other plastic bags, like shopping bags, and place the Ziploc inside 'em. Now, I drop the dough on the floor (preferably a hardwood or other hard surface) and step on it. That's right, grab the side of the counter, put one foot on it and then the other and start kneading the dough feet-wise. Oh, bare feet, by the way! (Japanese style, all the way.) When the dough is flat like a pancake under my feet, which takes a few gentle but firm stomps, I take the Ziploc out of the other shopping bags, and adjust the dough inside the Ziploc (no need to open up the Ziploc). Roll the dough back up into a ball. Repeat several times, about 6 times total. Soon enough, it's starting to feel smoother under my feet. The extra plastic bags are there just in case my dough tries to make a run for it and breaks the Ziploc - or just to keep my curious dogs out of my precious loot! 

Or I suppose if you do have a pasta machine, then try that out - but I make no guarantees - my foot-massaged udon came out perfect. Once I'm done with the kneading, I let the dough rest another hour. Patience, Daniel-san. 

Finally, the dough is ready for more handling! I sprinkle a large board generously with starch. Removed the dough from the Ziploc and rolled it out in a single, thin layer on the board. 

The rolled-out dough is barely 2mm in thickness (just under a 1/4 inch) now. It will feel silky smooth. It is gorgeous at this point!  

Next, generously - did I mention generously? - I spread more starch on both sides of the rolled-out dough. I'm about to fold the dough so that I can cut it. I fold the dough back and forth, on top of itself, so that from the side the dough looks like a zigzagging windy road. The folding ensures a relatively even cut through each noodle.

Again, super important to have used plenty of starch to keep the dough from sticking! Now I take my big, sharp knife and, using long, broad strokes, cut the dough into strips. I was at first tempted to cut them thick, but here's a heads up that when these puppies are boiled, they'll expand considerably. So I err on the side of cutting them thinner than I think is necessary. I shoot for around 2 mm thickness (again, just under 1/4 inch) but they end up a bit more like 3 mm. Alas. 

When I've cut all of it up, there's no more waiting left! It's time to drop 'em into the boiling water. 

I heat several quarts of water in a large stock pot until it begins to boil. (No salt needed.) 

As I drop the noodles into the water, I loosen the noodles apart with my fingers. My beautiful noodles start dancing around in the pot. I can almost taste them now~!

Alright, in the meantime, we need some sauce. Here, I'm making cold noodles, which are dipped in a soy-based dip with garnishes. 

Dipping sauce ingredients: 

• 2 parts soy sauce 　しょう油
• 1 part mirin　味醂
• pinch of sugar　砂糖

I mix these three ingredients in a small saucepan and heat till they're almost boiling. Honestly, the proportion doesn't matter so much, it just needs to be slightly sweet, mostly soy-salty. Once it's warm, I cool it down and dilute it with an equal amount, or slightly more, of water. Since I'm making this dish for a party of 3, I make sure I have about 1/2 cup per person (after diluting with water).

Ok, are my noodles done?! I keep an eye on it because I want it to be p-e-r-f-e-c-t. The greatest thing about homemade udon noodles is that when they're done, they are a soft but firm, gummy-al-dente goodness.

As soon as they come out of the boiling water (just 5 to 7 minutes), I drop them into a cold bowl of water with a bunch of ice cubes in it. Noodles, stop your cooking!

Then, I arrange my garnishes/condiments:

• minced fresh ginger (peel the ginger, first)　生姜
• finely chopped scallions　ねぎ
• nori cut in short, thin strips (this is dried sea vegetable)　のり
• minced daikon radish　大根
• wasabi paste　わさび

I set these condiments on the table for everyone to add to their noodle bowls. Um, it might be overkill to add all of them at once, but I do and it is oh so nomlicious.

I like to serve the noodles family style. After all, I'm just serving my family. :) A big bowl full of noodles in the center of the table, with everyone having a small bowl to hold their dipping sauce and garnishes. Mix all the stuff together and slurp slurp slurp!!! So yummeh.

Oh, one more thing, for even the most seasoned chopstick-user, these noodles are slippery. So make sure you've got good grab on those chopsticks! (Or I guess... use a fork...?)　いただきま～す！<3