Here comes the sun! Cool off this summer with this super easy Bukkake Cold Udon Recipe that comes with a 3-step udon broth guide. It requires easy-to-find ingredients and only 15 minutes of prep time!
Who says soup should only be served piping hot? This popular Japanese noodle dish is served cold in the summers and hot in winters, giving you the chance to slurp away at any day of the year!
The origins of udon is linked to a number of stories. The most popular account is of a Japanese Buddhist monk named Enni who introduced flour milling technology from China to Japan in AD 1241. Udon wasn’t the only flour noodle dish was born out of this venture. Soba and flour pancakes also gained widespread popularity among Japanese locals and Japanese market.
A similar legend says a monk from Kanagawa named Kukai went to China as a research scholar and returned to Japan bringing with him udon noodles that was enjoyed by Chinese locals.
It is said that the first udon dish was eaten in Ayagawa town in the Ayauta district. Here, Kukai taught his nephew Chisen how to make udon for the whole family. Marking the birthplace of udon is a shrine called the Takinomiya Tenmangu.
Today, udon is enjoyed in several ways. Some are served hot or chilled. Some differ depending on their region of origin. There’s cold udon noodle salad, stir-fried yaki udon, and more, proving the versatility of these wheat flour noodles.
With timeless flavors and simplicity in preparation, udon noodles will remain a staple in many Japanese restaurants for many more generations to come.
Japanese Udon is a staple dish in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village menu, providing both nourishment and refreshment to over 11,000 athletes.
Koyo Organic Fine Udon Noodles
Bukkake Udon is a simple yet refreshing udon noodle dish that’s made by preparing chilled udon noodles and pouring cold udon broth over it, just like you would with cereals. Spring onions, soft-boiled eggs, nori seaweed, bonito flakes, and tempura batter pieces are commonly used as toppings. And to answer the burning question in your mind, the name Bukkake actually refers to dishes that are poured over by broth. The more you know!
Zaru Udon is another Japanese summer dish that’s made similarly to bukkake udon. The difference is the udon dipping sauce is made with concentrated dashi stock and is served in zaru tray, a dish lined with bamboo sticks that serves to drain any excess water from the rinsed udon noodles. Talk about fancy!
The delicate yet umami-filled broth that you taste when eating soba, udon, and other Japanese noodle dishes is called Mentsuyu. There are two types of udon noodle broths:
Kaketsuyu is hot Mentsuyu that’s diluted with water, heated, and poured over your udon noodles.
On the other hand, Tsuketsuyu is cold Mentsuyu that’s also diluted in water, but this time, served with chilled noodles.
If you’re looking for an alternative to kelp or dried bonito flakes, you can easily replicate their savory flavors with the ever-reliable instant dashi powder. As your guide, use the 2:1 ratio for dashi broth: For every 2 cups of water, use 1 teaspoon of instant dashi powder.
These ingredients should be readily available in your local Japanese grocery store or Asian groceries online.
Cooking udon can be simplified into two steps. First, prepare the noodles. Second, prepare the dipping sauce. Both steps won’t even take you more than 15 minutes, as long as you have the basic Japanese ingredients needed!
We’re sharing a 15-minute Bukkake Cold Udon Recipe inspired by Serious Eats. You can shop for the main ingredients and have them delivered straight to your homes through Karman Foods!
