Healthy, Delicious, 15 Minute Udon Recipe

One of the most frustrating things about coming home after a long trip is not being able to find the food I ate there.

I always make a point of eating local food when I’m abroad, even during a long airport layover. And last week I had the layover of my dreams – three hours at Narita Tokyo airport while flying from Manila to Santo Domingo on my #EYD2015 trip.

In typical Girl vs Globe fashion I spent the entire time gorging on Japanese delicacies, almost forgetting that I had a flight to catch and proceeding to fall asleep about 17 seconds after takeoff. Standard.

That is why, when Japan Centre asked me if I’d like to try my hand at a little Japanese cooking at home, the obvious answer was but of course! Here is my healthy, delicious, 15 minute udon recipe you can easily prepare at home.

Ingredients

Broth

• 6 cups water
• 2 sachets dashi
• 2 packages udon noodles
• 2 tbsp Gekkeikan sake
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ginger root
• whole chillies
• salt to taste

• 2 salmon fillets (tofu for vegetarian)
• Shichimiya spices
• 1 small broccoli
• 1 spring onion
• 2 eggs

1. Season salmon fillets with Shichimya spices and put them into a preheated oven (220°C/425°F). Roasting time will vary – allow 4-6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness of salmon. You can substitute tofu if you’re vegetarian.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil and add 2 sachets of dashi. Add a small amount of ginger root, chillies (whole, crushed underneath a knife) and salt to taste. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.

3. Add udon noodles and broccoli florets to the soup and cook for 3-5 minutes.

4. While udon is cooking, hard boil (6-7 min), soft boil (2-4 min) or poach (2-4 min) an egg.

5. Serve udon soup in bowls and top with salmon, egg and spring onion. Enjoy with a glass of sake or cup of tea – I had mine with Fukujuen Uji-No-Tsuyu Seicha.

Do you love Japanese food? Which dish is your favourite? As you may know, I’m a huge sushi fan but udon is a close second! Finally, would you like to see more recipes on Girl vs Globe? 

PS: For a chance to win a trip to Kyoto and try this healthy delicious, 15 minute recipe outside your kitchen, check out this contest hosted by Visit Japan! Other prizes include a meal for two at Roka Aldwych in London or a bottle of sake, which you can nurse in your arms while watching “Lost in Translation”.

Disclaimer: This post was brought to you in collaboration with Japan Centre and Visit Japan. As always, all opinions (and even this recipe!) are my own.