Tempura Udon

If you've ever slurped on a bowl of hot udon noodles, then you know how deliciously chewy and thick these noodles are. Floating in a rich umami broth, udon noodles are a comforting and classic Japanese meal that can be dressed with all sorts of additional ingredients. For this recipe, the thick wheat noodles and broth are garnished with crisp pieces of fried tempura vegetables and shrimp. But you can choose to use either alone, as the variations on the dish are endless and each person has a favorite way of eating and seasoning these fun noodles.

For our recipe, you can use premade, frozen, or leftover tempura. Easily available in Asian markets and online retailers, the udon noodles come precooked, frozen, or dry, so it's up to you to choose the most convenient form in which you want to buy them. Or you can make them at home, which is also a fun weekend project. The udon broth is easily made from scratch by using three staple items in any Japanese kitchen: soy sauce, mirin, and dashi broth. Dashi is the backbone of hundreds of Japanese dishes that you can either make from scratch or buy premade. Many great brands of dried dashi are available, and they're the best shortcut to a flavorful broth. Dashi is not a standardized recipe—its rich flavors and variations come from using different mushrooms, kombu, fish, and seasonings.

Depending on the region of Japan, the broth for udon noodle soup varies from dark brown to light brown with varying degrees of saltiness. For this reason, the recipe below can be adjusted by changing the amount of soy sauce that is used. If you are used to a lighter flavor, we recommend starting with less soy sauce and adding more to taste. If you’re in a hurry, use a premade "udon soup," which is readily available in all Japanese grocery stores and some Asian supermarkets.

Easy Tempura Batter