Yaki Udon

Ingredients

• 1⅛ lbUdon noodlespre-cooked or dried, cooked briefly and drained before frying
• 5 tbspSoy saucefor seasoning the noodles
• 3 tbspSesame oilfor stir-frying in the wok
• 1 bunchSpring onionsliced into rings, keep green parts for sprinkling
• 2Carrotpeeled, thinly sliced or cut into sticks
• 8¾ ozMushroomsking oyster mushrooms or button mushrooms, cleaned and halved
• 1 tbspSesame seedstoasted, for sprinkling
• 1Onioncut into chunks or finely chopped
• 1 tbspSrirachafor heat
• 3 clovesGarlicfinely chopped
• ½ ozGingerpeeled, finely chopped or thinly sliced
• 2bell peppercut into strips
• 7 ozPak choiquartered lengthwise
• Saltfor the noodle water and to taste
• 1Limejuice for the stir-fry sauce (optional)

Method

1. Wash and trim the vegetables: peel the carrots and cut them into thin slices or sticks, cut the bell peppers into strips, the onion into rough chunks, quarter the baby pak choi lengthwise and halve the mushrooms. Slice the spring onions into rings and set the green parts aside for sprinkling. Finely chop the garlic and ginger.
2. For the stir-fry sauce, mix the soy sauce with the sriracha and, if you like, the juice of the lime, then keep it within reach.
3. Cook the udon noodles briefly in plenty of boiling salted water according to the packet, drain, rinse under cold water and let them drain well. Save a little of the cooking water.
4. Fry the mushrooms in a pan with a little sesame oil over high heat until they take on colour, deglaze with a splash of soy sauce and a little water and let them braise briefly. Take them off the heat and set aside.
5. Heat the remaining sesame oil in a wok or large pan until very hot. Stir-fry the onion, the white parts of the spring onions, the garlic and the ginger for about a minute, until fragrant.
6. Add the carrots and bell peppers and stir-fry for three to four minutes, keeping them with some bite, then fold in the pak choi and let it wilt.
7. Add the drained noodles to the wok and toss them in the pan until they separate and turn glossy. Add water or noodle cooking water a spoonful at a time if they need it.
8. Pour in the stir-fry sauce, let everything reduce briefly until the noodles are coated, and season with salt.
9. Divide the noodles between bowls, spoon the braised mushrooms on top and scatter with the spring onion greens and toasted sesame seeds.

Tips and variations

If you prefer, fold the fried mushrooms into the noodles in step 9 instead of spooning them on top. For a sweet-sour edge, stir brown sugar and lime juice into the soy sauce; for a much bolder sauce, mix soy sauce with sambal oelek, rice vinegar, honey and sriracha and stick to bell pepper and onion as the vegetables. As a variation, root vegetables like celeriac and white turnip are good too, braised slowly over low heat and scattered with fresh coriander, or fold in strips of sorrel at the end with daisies as a garnish. If you are not cooking vegan, you can work with bacon, tatami iwashi, Shaoxing wine and pickled red ginger; for a creamy version, reduce the noodles in coconut milk and toss them with chopped hazelnuts, sweet soy sauce and a raw egg yolk. Serve straight from the wok into warmed bowls so the noodles stay hot and glossy.