Noodle SoupsJapaneseEasy

Kitsune Udon (Udon Noodle Soup with Sweet Simmered Tofu Pouches)

Name: Kitsune Udon (Udon Noodle Soup with Sweet Simmered Tofu Pouches)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 large sheets (about 3 oz total) (85 g) aburaage (fried tofu pouches), rinsed under hot water and patted dry, then cut in half crosswise into 2 rectangles each (4 pieces total); ¾ cup (180 ml) dashi, prepared, warm or room temperature; 1½ tablespoons (19 g) granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) mirin; 3 cups (710 ml) dashi, prepared, plus extra if needed; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) mirin; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) light soy sauce (usukuchi) or regular soy sauce; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt, or to taste; 2 blocks (about 7 oz each) (400 g) frozen udon noodles, kept frozen; 3 whole (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal, white and green parts; shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice), for serving, to taste (optional); 4 thin slices (30 g) narutomaki or kamaboko fish cake, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A comforting Japanese noodle soup of chewy udon in a clear, savory dashi broth, topped with sweet-salty simmered aburaage (fried tofu pouches) and fresh scallions. It comes together in about 35 minutes.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 35 min
Makes: 2 large bowls

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Ingredients

2 servings

For the simmered aburaage
2 large sheets (about 3 oz total) (85 g) aburaage (fried tofu pouches), rinsed under hot water and patted dry, then cut in half crosswise into 2 rectangles each (4 pieces total)
¾ cup (180 ml) dashi, prepared, warm or room temperature
1½ tablespoons (19 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) mirin
For the broth
3 cups (710 ml) dashi, prepared, plus extra if needed
3 tablespoons (45 ml) mirin
3 tablespoons (45 ml) light soy sauce (usukuchi) or regular soy sauce
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine sea salt, or to taste
For the bowls
2 blocks (about 7 oz each) (400 g) frozen udon noodles, kept frozen
3 whole (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal, white and green parts
shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice), for serving, to taste (optional)
4 thin slices (30 g) narutomaki or kamaboko fish cake, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick (optional)

Equipment (6)

Medium saucepan (3-quart / 3 L) for the broth
Small saucepan or skillet (8-inch / 20 cm) with a lid for the aburaage
Large pot (4-quart / 4 L) for boiling the noodles
Colander or strainer
2 large noodle bowls (about 3-cup / 700 ml capacity or larger)
Ladle and chopsticks or tongs

Steps

Before you start

If using dashi powder or dashi packets, you need about 3 cups (700 ml) of finished dashi. Make it according to the package, or see the substitutions for homemade.
Frozen udon cooks fastest and has the best chewy texture. Do not boil it in the soup, because the starch will cloud the broth.
Have all the ingredients measured before you start. The noodles and broth need to be assembled while hot.
Aburaage is sold in the refrigerated or frozen section of Japanese and Asian grocery stores. Thaw it first if frozen.

1
Remove excess oil
- Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
- Place the aburaage in a heatproof bowl or colander and pour the hot water over it for 10 seconds on each side.
- Press gently between paper towels to dry.
- Cut each sheet in half crosswise so you have 4 rectangles.
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Ready when: Surface looks matte rather than shiny and the paper towel picks up very little oil.
Tip: This step removes surface oil so the topping tastes clean and absorbs the seasoning better.
2
Prep the scallions
- Slice the scallions thinly on a diagonal.
- If using the fish cake, slice it ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Set both aside near the bowls.
3
Simmer the aburaage
- In the small saucepan or skillet, combine the ¾ cup (180 ml) dashi, the sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon mirin.
- Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the aburaage in a single layer, pressing so it is mostly submerged.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and cook 10 minutes, flipping the pieces once halfway.
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Ready when: Aburaage is deep golden brown, soft, and plump, and the liquid has reduced to about 2 tablespoons of syrupy glaze.
Tip: Keep the heat low. A hard boil can toughen the pouches and evaporate the liquid before they absorb it.
4
Rest the topping
- Turn off the heat and leave the aburaage in the pan, uncovered, in its remaining liquid while you make the broth.
- It will keep absorbing flavor.
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Ready when: Pieces are glossy and the pan is nearly dry.
5
Make the broth
- In the medium saucepan, combine the 3 cups (710 ml) dashi, 3 tablespoons mirin, 3 tablespoons soy sauce and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Heat over medium until steaming and just barely simmering, about 5 minutes.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Keep warm over low heat.
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Ready when: Broth is steaming with tiny bubbles at the edge and tastes savory with gentle sweetness.
Tip: Do not boil hard, which dulls the delicate dashi aroma.
6
Boil water for noodles
- Fill the large pot about three-quarters full with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Warm your serving bowls with hot tap water, then empty them.
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Ready when: Water is at a full rolling boil.
Tip: Warm bowls keep the soup hot much longer.
7
Cook the udon
- Add the frozen udon blocks to the boiling water.
- Gently loosen the strands with chopsticks as they thaw.
- Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or per package directions, then drain well in the colander.
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Ready when: Noodles are separated, plump, and chewy with no hard white center when you bite one.
Tip: Do not rinse unless serving cold. A quick drain keeps them hot.
8
Assemble the bowls
- Divide the hot noodles between the two warmed bowls.
- Ladle about 1½ cups (355 ml) of hot broth into each bowl.
- Lay 2 pieces of aburaage on top of each, spooning over a little of the remaining glaze.
- Add the fish cake slices if using.
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Ready when: Noodles are fully covered by broth and the bowls are steaming.
Tip: Pour the broth in gently along the side of the bowl so the noodles stay in place.
9
Garnish and serve
- Scatter the scallions over each bowl and sprinkle with shichimi togarashi if you like.
- Serve immediately with spoons and chopsticks.
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Tip: Eat soon. Udon keeps absorbing broth and softens if left to sit.

Good to know

Tips

Kitsune means fox, and folklore says foxes love fried tofu, which is how this dish got its name.
Use light soy sauce (usukuchi) for a clearer, paler broth that is traditional in Kansai-style udon. It is saltier than regular soy, so taste before adding extra salt.
Cook the noodles separately. Cooking them in the broth releases starch and makes the soup cloudy and thick.
Taste the broth before serving. It should taste slightly stronger than a normal soup, because the noodles dilute it.

Make ahead

"The simmered aburaage can be made up to 3 days ahead. Store it in its glaze in an airtight container in the fridge. The broth can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cook the noodles fresh just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Store broth, aburaage and noodles separately. Do not store them together, because the noodles turn soft. Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: broth 3 days, aburaage 3 days, cooked noodles 1 day in an airtight container. Freezer: aburaage with glaze up to 1 month; thaw in the fridge. Reheat broth on the stove over medium until steaming, warm aburaage in a small pan or microwave for 30 seconds, and dip the noodles in boiling water for 30 seconds to refresh."

Substitutions

dashi → Homemade dashi: 4 cups (950 ml) water, a 4-inch (10 cm) piece of kombu and ½ cup (10 g) bonito flakes. Soak kombu in water for 30 minutes, heat until bubbles form at the edges, remove the kombu, add the bonito flakes, steep 2 minutes, and strain. Or dissolve instant dashi granules according to the package (about 1½ teaspoons for 3 cups).
frozen udon noodles → Dried udon noodles (about 6 oz / 170 g). Boil according to package directions, usually 8 to 10 minutes, and drain. Shelf-stable vacuum-packed udon also works; boil 1 to 2 minutes.
mirin → Dry sherry or sake plus ½ teaspoon sugar per tablespoon. Use the same volume as mirin. The flavor will be slightly less complex.
aburaage (fried tofu pouches) → Pre-seasoned inari tofu pouches (inarizushi no moto). Skip the simmering steps, rinse lightly if very sweet, warm in a little dashi, and reduce the sugar in the broth to none.

comfort food dashi japanese noodle soup udon vegetarian-friendly weeknight

Steps

Remove excess oil

Prep the scallions

Simmer the aburaage

Rest the topping

Make the broth

Boil water for noodles

Cook the udon

Assemble the bowls

Garnish and serve

Good to know

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