Kitsune Udon Recipe

Prepare and simmer aburaage

Place aburaage pieces on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, make a small slit along one edge of each pouch and gently open into pockets. To remove excess oil and any strong fried flavor, bring 1 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan, add the aburaage and simmer for 1 minute, then drain and gently press with paper towels to remove excess liquid. In the same saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp mirin and 2 tbsp sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Add the drained aburaage to the simmering sauce, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes so they absorb the sweet-salty braising liquid. Turn the pockets once halfway. After simmering, remove from heat and let them cool in the liquid for 10 minutes to deepen flavor. When cool enough to handle, gently press each pocket to remove excess liquid (reserve braising liquid). Keep aburaage warm or at room temperature until ready to assemble.

Make the udon broth

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups dashi to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp salt. Taste and adjust — the broth should be savory with a mild sweetness. Keep broth on the lowest warm setting so it stays hot but not boiling while you cook noodles.

Cook udon noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the udon noodles and cook according to package instructions (usually 2–4 minutes for fresh/frozen, longer for dried). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. When cooked through and tender, drain the noodles and rinse briefly under warm water to remove excess starch and to keep them from clumping. If using dried udon, drain and rinse similarly.

Divide cooked noodles between 2 serving bowls (approximately 6 oz noodles per bowl). Pour hot broth over noodles, about 1 to 1 1/4 cups per bowl, so noodles are submerged but not overflowing.

Place 2 aburaage pockets on top of the noodles in each bowl (you may slice each pocket in half if desired). Spoon a little of the reserved aburaage braising liquid over the pockets for added flavor if desired.

Garnish each bowl with sliced green onions, optional kamaboko/narutomaki slices, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of shichimi togarashi if using. Serve immediately while hot.