Wakame Udon (わかめうどん)

Wakame looks like almost nothing in its dried state, a few dark scraps in the palm. Give it water and it opens like a small lesson in patience. This is the kind of dish that proves Japanese cooking is often simpler than its reputation: one good stock, one honest ingredient, and noodles enough to make a meal.

The detail that decides it is timing. Wakame should be rehydrated, rinsed, and added only at the end. Boil it hard and it turns dull, slack, and a little slippery in the wrong way. Warm it through gently and it stays bright green, tender, and clean, tasting faintly of the sea without shouting about it.

The broth is the other half. We make dashi from konbu and katsuobushi, then season it lightly with soy sauce, mirin, and a little salt. The seasoning should support the stock, not cover it. A bowl of wakame udon belongs to the everyday table: quick enough for a weeknight, plain enough for lunch, and still honmono when the dashi is made with care.