Udon Pasta

I am a person who eats anything.  … well, not ANYTHING, but I’m ok eating almost any food that is served in front of me.

My family is little different.  When they make Japanese curry rice, they always use the standard ingredients: meat, onion, carrot and potatoes.  One day, I was making curry with some reft over food in the fridge.  I put eggplant, spinach, tofu, konnyaku, boiled egg, cabbage etc.  I thought it was ok and sounded delish, as curry doesn’t always have to be made with just those 4 ingredients.  But, my family was like “you put what!?!”.  Since then, my family call my cooking “Ume’s food”.

I made this Udon Pasta just because I had some udon noodle and tomatoes at home.  It’s simply delicious and easy to make.  You can also use minced meat instead of chicken fillet to make “bolognese”.  :)

Serves 2

• 1 chicken breast fillet, sliced
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 tomato tin, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tbs oyster sauce
• 1 stalk of Parsley, chop the leave part
• 2 portions udon noodle

Spicy Fish Yakisoba

Yakisoba (stir-fried noodle) with chili and pepper fried fish.  Add more chili if you like it spicier

<Spicy Fish Yakisoba>

• 1 white fish fillet 
• 1 tbs corn flour
• 2 potion yakisoba noodle ( or Singapore noodle)
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 1/4 large carrot
• 1/8 large onion
• 1/2 clove garlic
• 2 tbs oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sake (cooking wine)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Worcester sauce
• chili, salt, pepper, coriander leaves

1. Chop garlic and chili.  Slice carrot into Julienne.  Slice onion.  Combine all the sauce.  Place noodle in a colander and briefly loosen up under running water.  Drain and set aside.
2. Slice fish fillet.  Dust lightly with corn flour, and shallow-fry both side until crispy and golden.  Remove from the pan and drain oil.  Set aside.
3. In another pan, heat 1 tbs oil and saute garlic and chili until fragrant.  Add onion and carrot and stir-fry.
4. Add noodle and bean sprouts, stir-fry, then add the sauce mixture.  Season well.
5. Arrange on a serving plate, top with fish, extra cut chili and coriander leaves.  Crack black pepper on the fish and serve immediately.

Chicken Udon with Sesame Dressing

The other day I arranged dinner at friend’s house.  My friend (Japanese) is renting a room in my another friend (Chinese)’s house which she (Chinese) recently purchased with her fiance.  I’ve been to the house once before and I fell in love with the design and interior.  Stylish furniture, cute kitchenware, clean and tidy environment…  Living with the friends in the house sounds really fun, we can have girls’ night everyday  :)

It was still 5 pm so we started with a glass of wine and some otsumami.  We were going to make dinner soon but ended up talking about stuff until 9 pm.  Friend’s fiance came home and we finally moved our body from sofa to the kitchen.

Because of the wine and otsumami I wasn’t actually hungry, but everyone else was.  I brought some vegetables, so we made udon salad dish with steamed chicken and Japanese sesame dressing.  I love sesame dressing (goma dressing).  It’s nutty, rich and creamy.  You can purchase from any Asian grocery shops.  I like Mizkan brand

<Chicken Udon with Sesame Dressing> for one

• 1 portion udon noodle
• 50g chicken breast
• some salad - lettuce, cucumber, tomato
• sesame dressing (also called “goma dressing”, “goma dare”)

Chilled Udon Salad

Summer food!  This cold udon noodle chills you out…  Enjoy with lots of ice cubes

<Chilled Salad Udon>

• 1 pack udon noodle 
• 5 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tbs mirin
• 1 tbs dashi powder (fish stock)
• 1~2 inari sushi skin
• salad (lettuce, tomatoes etc)
• Shredded nori (kizami nori)

How to Cook Soba Noodle

I often cook cold soba noodle for dinner during summer.  It’s very easy, and refreshing to eat in a hot day.

Here is a proper way to cook soba noodle:

1. Boil sufficient amount of water in a pot.
2. Place soba noodle (dry) into the boiling water.  Stir often with chopsticks until the water start to boil again.  (Do not leave the pot at this point)
3. Once the water start to raise and reach the top of the pot, pour 1/2 cups of cold water into it.  Water will then go back to steady.
4. Keep stirling, and once the water start to reach the top of the pan again, turn off the heat.
5. Drain soba in a colander, and rinse under running cold water.  Drain well.
6. Serve with your favorite condiments.