Curry Udon
(カレーうどん)
Curry udon is a dish that features thick udon noodles served in a rich and flavorful curry broth. The curry used in curry udon is typically a Japanese-style curry, which is milder and sweeter compared to other types of curry, such as Indian or Thai curry. This dish is known for its hearty and comforting qualities, making it a popular choice especially during the colder months.
Key Features of Curry Udon
- Rich Curry Broth: The star of curry udon is the broth, made from a combination of dashi (Japanese soup stock), soy sauce, and Japanese curry roux. This creates a thick, savory, and slightly sweet broth that coats the udon noodles perfectly. I used bone broth from Kettle and Fire which is packed with protein and collagen, as well as hondashi (which is a form of instant dashi). I’ll outline below how to do both variations. Visit my link HERE and use my code KYRIETHEFOODIE for 20% off your order!
- Thick and Chewy Udon Noodles: Udon noodles are thick wheat noodles known for their chewy texture.
- Versatile Toppings: Common toppings include sliced green onions, tempura, thinly sliced beef, kamaboko (fish cake), and sometimes a soft-boiled egg.
- Comforting and Satisfying: The combination of the thick curry broth and chewy udon noodles makes for a deeply satisfying and comforting meal. It’s the kind of dish that warms you up from the inside out.
Homemade Japanese Curry
Making curry udon at home can be a fun and rewarding experience. To make it at home, you will need Japanese curry. I will explain later in this post how to make it simultaneously with the udon, but if you are wanting to make Japanese curry on its own, it’s incredibly versatile and delicious to eat in many ways.
Curry udon is a relatively modern addition to Japanese cuisine, thought to have originated in the early 20th century. It combines elements of Japanese curry, which itself was introduced to Japan by the British in the late 19th century, with traditional udon noodles.
This fusion was likely created as a way to use up leftover curry, showcasing the Japanese culinary creativity in repurposing ingredients to create new and delicious dishes.
Here is my recipe for Japanese curry, which is tasty with white rice or in curry pan.
Curry Udon (カレーうどん)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
Description
Curry udon is a Japanese dish featuring thick, chewy udon noodles served in a rich and flavorful curry broth, often garnished with green onions, tempura bits, and slices of meat or vegetables.
Ingredients
- 4 cups bone/chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons hondashi (substitute for dashi stock and omit the bone/chicken broth above)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp mirin
- 2 cubes Japanese curry roux (or two cups of Japanese curry)
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 lb beef, thinly sliced (any protein works)
- 2 servings udon noodles
Instructions
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To a large pot over medium-high heat, combine your broth, hondashi, soy sauce, mirin, and curry roux. Stir until completely combined and allow to come to a simmer.
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Add your onions and allow to cook on simmer for about 8-10 minutes.
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Add the udon and thinly sliced beef and allow to cook until udon is cooked all the way through, being careful not to overcook (since I used frozen udon, I just wait till the noodles separate and then immediately take off heat).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2