Basic Udon Soup

Udon in Japan is usually served with things like kamaboko, thin deep fried tofu or with tempura on top.  However, cooking for my family while living in Australia, these ingredients were not as readily available as they are in Japan.  In addition to this, making a balanced meal with vegetables would require an extra side dish or adding vegetables to the Udon.  So this recipe is a more realistic Udon Soup dish with vegetables, chicken, and one more issue I've addressed here is... no MSG, as I didn't use commercially made dashi-no-moto or udon soup powder.  And the taste?  We drank the soup before we finished the noodles!

Ingredients (Serves 2)
2 individual serving packets of fresh Udon noodles
Chicken, sliced (as little or as much as you like)
Shallots, sliced
Other Vegetables (Eg sliced Carrots, Broccoli)


Soup
4 Tbsp Japanese Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp Mirin
about 5 g (small handful) Katsuobushi
800 mL Water
Salt, to taste (about 1/2 tsp)

1. Place water in a saucepan with the Katsuobushi and bring to the boil (to make simple dashi).  Let it simmer, meanwhile,
2. Heat a little oil in a frypan, brown the chicken, sprinkle with a little salt first. (I like to leave the chicken on each side until it gets some colour)
3. Add carrots to the saucepan (from step 1), simmer, add broccoli, simmer, add soy sauce, mirin, salt and udon noodles.  When the noodles are heated through, it's done.
4. Serve immediately in individual bowls, including the soup, and arrange the vegetables and chicken on top.  Sprinkle with raw shallots. 

You could also make easy Udon soup using 1/4~1/3 cup Tsuyu + 1/2 tsp salt in 800mL water or dashi.

Ochibi loves eating the carrot rings left over from the flower carrot cutter!