Udon

The Good Food Glossary

Pronounce it: oo-don

A thick, white, ribbon-like noodle popular in Japanese cuisine. Udon is made by kneading strong, white wheat flour, salt and water. It can be eaten hot or cold which makes it a versatile ingredient for everything from hot soups to cold salads. In Japan it is perfectly acceptable to slurp the noodles, which all adds to the enjoyment and the udon experience.

Availibility

Udon noodles are available fresh, pre-cooked and dried. In Japan, udon is usually sold fresh.

Prepare it

To cook udon noodles, add noodles to a pot of boiling water and bring back to the boil. Stir noodles, add more cold water to the pot and bring back to boil again. Turn down the heat and cook noodles until tender. Drain noodles and run under cold water.

Cook it

Try cold udon noodles with sesame seeds, fresh ginger, dried seaweed or wasabi. Combine hot udon noodles with prawns and vegetables, or add to Asian-style soups.