When talking about Udon noodles, I often imagine a cold monsoon night, hurrying to the little door of a Japanese eatery by the side of the road. Entering a small and warm space of wood tone, sitting by a small wooden table, and enjoying a bowl of hot Udon noodles with strong Japanese taste. That is the most wonderful moment in the winter.
The fickle weather suddenly becomes cold for a few days in Sai Gon, or the winter with drizzle and typical humid wind on a year-end day in Hanoi often remind people of the need of a warm feeling and some savory aromatic food with swirling steam. In these monsoon nights, when I am in a hurry pulling the zipper of my thin coat, I remember the warmth and savory aroma of Japanese food. The image of the traditional style Japanese open kitchen full of hot swirls of steam makes people forget the tiredness of a cold winter.
When it comes to Japanese cuisine in particular and Asian cuisine in general, it is necessary to mention noodle culture. Japan marks its position in Asian cuisine with the four famous types of noodles namely Udon, Soba, Ramen, and Somen. Udon noodles are made from wheat flour which are thick, springy, and smooth in pure white color. Sometimes Udon noodles are slightly variegated with green tea flavor to create unique green color and buttery taste. The simplest form of Udon noodles is Kake Udon, just udon noodles served with broth made from soy sauce, mirin, and dashi in clear amber color, sometimes sprinkled with sliced spring onion (kake means pouring in the broth).
Kake Udon
If you want a bowl of udon noodles with additional touch of flavor while still preserving the frugality, Kitsune Udon is not a bad idea. Kitsune means fox in Japanese. However, do not misunderstand the meaning, Kitsune Udon is only udon served with soft and buttery fried tofu. This mischievous name is given from the legend that the fox loves eating tofu.
Enjoying Japanese cuisines is not only enjoying the taste and flavour of the food, but also feeling the heart of the cook in every small detail. Each udon noodle is made from the talented and skilful hands of the chef to reach the harmony and balance in flavor thanks to the precise ratio between wheat flour, water, and salt, as well as the fermentation and special processing. A springy, fine, and smooth batch of udon noodles harmonizing the salty and sweet tastes is the most wonderful product of the chef because the noodles are the soul of the dish. The broth is also made from the careful selection of soy sauce, mirin, and dashi through the artist’s hands to make a transparent amber broth which levels up the sweetness, balances the refined and strong tastes.
Kitsune Udon
The way to serve hot udon noodles in a traditional Japanese eatery also express the bold cultural color that cannot be seen anywhere else. Firstly, the guest will choose a favorite type of noodle at the counter, then go the food counter to pick up the side dishes for the udon (normally without cooking such as tempura, etc.), take the chopsticks and spoon from the last counter before payment. Eating noodles also represents the queue culture of Japanese people. Udon has become the traditional food which fits with the fast pace of the modern world without losing its own culture.
I usually choose for myself a bowl of seaweed udon noodles for a light and warm winter dinner. There are not too many ingredients, but the dish is the perfect harmonization of different flavors and colors, from the springy and smooth noodles to the frugal aromatic broth, the great combination of sweet and salty, and the featured seaweed smell. The blend in taste, smell, and sight with the swirls of steam from hot bowl of noodles are the best experiences for a simple and light dinner. When eating udon noodles, do not feel yourselves embarrassed to make noise in each slurp. No one considers it impolite because the loud slurps not only help cool down the hot noodles but also express the enjoyment of eating traditional dish of the Country of Cherry Blossom.
According to Fest Magazine
