Kitsune Udon (きつねうどん)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide pot for dashi
• •Fine-mesh strainer lined with a clean cloth
• •Wooden drop-lid (otoshibuta), or a circle of parchment
• •Large pot for boiling udon
• •Deep udon bowls

Instructions

1. 1

   Steep the konbu

   Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth, but don't wash it. Put it in the cold water and bring it up slowly over low heat, about ten minutes. Pull the konbu when the water trembles and small bubbles climb the sides of the pot. Boiling konbu pulls out bitterness and a slick texture, and kitsune udon wants clean dashi, not a murky lecture.

2. 2

   Add the flakes

   Bring the water to a gentle boil, add the katsuobushi all at once, and take the pot off the heat. Let the flakes sink for two or three minutes without stirring. Strain through a cloth or fine-mesh strainer and let it drip on its own. Don't squeeze, because squeezing presses strong oily flavors into the stock you just kept clear.

   You should have about 5 cups dashi. Use 1 cup for the aburaage and 4 cups for the noodle broth.
3. 3

   Blanch the aburaage

   Put the aburaage in a bowl and pour boiling water over it, or simmer it for one minute, then drain. Press gently between paper towels to remove excess water and oil. This is not fussiness. Fried tofu carries surface oil from the fryer, and washing that away lets the seasoning enter cleanly.

4. 4

   Simmer the tofu

   In a small pan, combine 1 cup dashi, soy sauce, sugar, 2 tablespoons mirin, and sake. Add the aburaage in a single layer, bring to a gentle simmer, and set a wooden drop-lid (otoshibuta) directly on top. Simmer 15 to 18 minutes, turning once, until the tofu is glossy and the liquid has reduced to a syrupy few spoonfuls.

   No otoshibuta? Use a circle of parchment with a small hole in the center. It keeps the tofu bathed in seasoning without stirring, so the pieces stay neat.
5. 5

   Season the broth

   In a clean pot, warm the remaining 4 cups dashi with the usukuchi shōyu, 1 tablespoon mirin, and salt. Taste it. The broth should be clear, savory, and a little restrained, because the aburaage will lend sweetness and soy once it sits in the bowl. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt before you add more soy.

6. 6

   Cook the udon

   Cook the udon according to the package, usually one or two minutes for frozen noodles once the water returns to a boil. Rinse briefly under hot water if the noodles feel starchy, then drain well. Loose surface starch clouds the broth, and a clear bowl shows the cook was paying attention.

7. 7

   Assemble the bowls

   Divide the udon among four warmed bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles, then lay one piece of simmered aburaage on each bowl so it rests partly above the surface. Scatter a small amount of scallion to one side and serve shichimi tōgarashi at the table. Leave it room. The tofu needs to be seen before it disappears.

Chef Tips

• •Choose aburaage that feels light and fresh, not stale or sour-smelling. The topping is the seasoning here, so tired fried tofu will announce itself in every spoonful.
• •Frozen udon is a sensible stand-in and often better than soft shelf-stable packets. It gives the chew this bowl needs, and chew is half the comfort.
• •For a meatless table, make the dashi with konbu and dried shiitake instead of katsuobushi. That is temple-kitchen logic and honmono in its own right, not a lesser bowl.
• •Don't use instant dashi when the broth is this exposed. Powder can be useful on a rushed day, but here the stock is the floor the whole dish stands on.

Advance Preparation

• •The dashi can be made up to two days ahead and kept refrigerated. Reheat it gently so the aroma stays clean.
• •The aburaage can be simmered a day ahead and kept in its cooking liquid. Warm it gently before serving so it returns its seasoning to the broth.
• •Slice the scallions just before serving. Their sharp green smell fades quickly once cut.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 520g)