How to cook frozen Udon noodles – Bourbon O’s cooking tips

How to cook frozen Udon noodles is something you should know to make a tasty dish out of this type of noodles. Frozen udon is definitely one of the kitchen staples as it’s easy to keep in stock. However, the key to a perfect bowl of udon noodles lies in the thawing technique. In fact, if you make a mistake when cooking frozen udon, it’s deliciousness might be affected quite significantly. Don’t be too worried, as Bourbon O will show you the right way to cook your udon noodles!

Origin of Udon noodles

Since ancient times, Udon noodles have been chosen by the Japanese as a fast food. For centuries, the country’s love for Udon noodles has remained intact. Udon noodles were introduced to Japan in the 8th century, the technique of making Udon noodles comes from neighboring China. During country trips to mainland China, messengers from the Nara court brought this technique back to Japan.

Experiencing a series of historical events, Japanese udon noodles have many typical flavors of many different regions. Udon noodle soup in the Kansai region is light and frugal, cooked from seaweed in a very short time, and then seasoned with light soy sauce. The soup broth of Kanto Udon noodles is quite thick, because it is cooked with a lot of fish and uses a strong soy sauce for seasoning. The difference in the color of the noodle soup can be seen clearly: Kansai soup is lighter and clearer in color, while Kanto soup is darker in color.

Depending on the weather, udon noodles have different processing methods. Cold Udon noodles are made with delicious meat broth, often served on hot summer afternoons to cool off, served with vegetables such as cabbage and cucumber. On winter days, the broth is usually hotter, with more protein and nutrients, providing many nutrients for the body and helping to keep people warm.

How to cook frozen Udon noodles

Microwave

Step 1: Take the frozen udon out of the freezer and place it directly in a microwave-safe bowl. Do not defrost the noodles.

Step 2: Add spices according to your preference (if you make noodle soup). Pour in the bowl enough water to cover the noodle.

Step 3: Heat on high until al dente (for about 4 to 5 minutes). Remember the microwave oven’s wattage varies, so it’s advisable to keep an eye on the noodles while they’re heating. If you make fried noodles, discard the excess water and add spices according to your preference.

Stir-fry

Step 1: In a large skillet or wok, add 1 tbsp of oil and heat up. Add desired veggies or meat and stir fry.

Step 2: Halfway through cooking time, add frozen udon noodles and 3/4 cup of water. Stir fry for about 3 minutes on medium-high heat. Add desired spices to taste.

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Stove Top

Step 1: To make noodle soup, first add water to a pan and bring the water to a boil.

Step 2: Pull the frozen udon out from the freezer and place it directly in the pan. Do not defrost the noodles.

Step 3: Cook over medium heat until al dente (for about 40 – 60 seconds).

How do you thaw frozen Udon noodles and make them “sticky”

This way of thawing udon noodles will give your udon chewy and fluffy texture. That’s why this method is especially recommended to satisfy your craves for cold udon.

Step 1: Unwrap the udon noodles and get it wet under running water.

Step 2: Place your wet frozen udon noodles on a heat-resistant dish. Use plastic wrap to cover the dish tightly and put it in the microwave. Heat at the recommended time for your udon noodle brand.

Step 3: In a colander, open the thawed noodles and wash them with running water thoroughly. Add ice to tighten the noodles.

Step 4: Drain the water and serve the udon noodles in a bowl. Add seasoning and all kinds of toppings you want, such as kamatama udon, bukkake, colander…

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Notes:

Time cooking: Both dried and fresh udon noodles can be cooked in salted boiling water until they become tender. Dried udon should take about 8 minutes and the fresh ones take approximately 3 minutes.

Toppings: There are a wide variety of ingredients that you can add to your udon noodles. If you’re a big fan of fried food, we suggest adding some tempura such as nasu, ebi, kabocha, okra, green beans… However, just simply add some boiled eggs, cooked chicken/pork/beef and some veggies and your bowl of udon noodles is ready to be served!

Preservation: The cooked udon noodles can be refrigerated for a couple of days. However, it’s more tasty if you freeze the fresh udon noodles right away. Frozen noodles come in segmented blocks. That’s why you can make as many servings as you want out of them and freeze the rest. According to the FDA, udon noodles can last for up to 7 days after opening the udon pack, assuming a stable temperature of 5-degrees C or 40-degrees F. Freshly prepared noodles stored in the freezer can last for up to 1 month.

When using the correct cooking method, the texture of your udon noodles will be chewy and fluffy, which is the main characteristic that makes this type of noodles stand out from the rest. Hopefully with the cooking guide Bourbon O just introduced above, you’ll know exactly how to cook frozen Udon noodles. Enjoy a hot bowl of Udon noodles with your favorite toppings!