Nabeyaki Udon

Nabeyaki Udon is an Udon soup dish that is cooked and served in an individual clay pot.  It is this signature clay pot (nabe) that gives this dish its name – Nabeyaki.

Nabeyaki Udon is a very popular dish at a lot of Udon restaurants in Japan, but a lot of places only serve it during winter.  Udon and soup cooked in a clay pot with a lid is super hot, and it is a perfect dish when it’s cold outside.  If you have individual sized clay pots, it is really easy to make at home too.  These small clay pots can be used directly on the stove; however, you can use any small or personal size pots you have.  If you don’t have small pots at all, don’t worry, just cook in a regular one and eat out of a small bowl.

Toppings for Nabeyaki Udon are usually vegetables like boiled spinach, carrots, Shiitake mushrooms, and so on, along with eggs, shrimp and Kamaboko fish cakes.  Shrimp can also be cooked as tempura before you add to the soup.  However, as we always say, you can improvise and use any vegetables and other things you like.

It is quite easy to make this dish, and it’s very warm and tasty.  Make it for dinner on cold night, and your family will love it!

Nabeyaki Udon Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients :

1 packages frozen Udon (use frozen or thawed)

2 cups Dashi (960ml)

1/8-1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 Tbsp Mirin

1 Tbsp Sake

1/4 bunch spinach

1/8 large carrot

2 Shiitake mushrooms

2 slices Kamaboko fishcake

green onions

1/2 chicken thigh

2 shrimps

1 eggs

shichimi (hot pepper powder)

Instructions :

Boil spinach, cool in running water, and squeeze out water. Cut into about 2" length pieces and set aside.

 Peel and slice the carrot into 1/2" rounds. Cut out with a flower shaped cookie cutter if you like. 

Cut out the top of the mushrooms to make a star design. Slice Kamaboko fish cake into 1/2" thick pieces. Cut green onions thinly.

 Cut chicken thigh into bite size pieces.

Heat Dashi to a boil in a clay pot. Add salt, soy sauce, Mirin and Sake to Dashi, and stir.

Add chicken and Udon to the soup, and then spinach, carrot, mushrooms, fishcake, shrimps, and eggs, and cook at medium heat for 5 minutes covered. 

Skim fat and other particles from the surface of the soup if there are any. Put in green onions, cover, and turn off the heat right away.

Serve immediately.

 Sprinkle shichimi on top if you like.