curry udon

Namiko Hirasawa Chen’s curry udon serves thick, chewy noodles beneath a fragrant Japanese curry soup. This selected version uses thinly sliced pork loin, onion, prepared dashi and boxed curry roux.

Onion and pork cook in neutral oil before sake is added. The dashi follows, and the covered soup cooks briefly before scum and excess fat are skimmed from its surface.

Each curry cube is dissolved in a ladleful of the same hot stock before being released into the soup. This gradual method blends the roux evenly through the broth without leaving solid pieces.

Soy sauce finishes the soup, which is covered while frozen Sanuki udon is warmed in a separate pot of boiling water. The noodles are drained before being divided between bowls.

The curry soup is poured over the udon and sliced scallions are added at serving. Chen describes the result as rich and gently sweet, with the chewy noodles making it a comforting weeknight meal.