Recipe: Cold, Sweet and Spicy Udon (Patreon)

Hello, Everyone! News: I can send envelopes to North America! Although they may take a little longer. 

Also...

The difference between Richard and I is that when I get an idea, I run with it, figuring out where I'm going as I go along. I do care about quality, but not by any means a perfectionist. I know if I don't strike while the iron is hot, or if I overthink something I'll never do it. So many ~brilliant~ ideas have be lost that way. So now I try to act, although sloppy. Case in point: those early episodes of the podcast. 

Richard, on the other hand, studies every nook and cranny of a thing before he starts. I really admire his attention to detail and patience learning so many new things. But by his own admission, that can make him slow. Since I don't see a food video coming out in the next week, I'm going to put up one of my favorite summer-time recipes. 

I know. I know. October...

I am guessing this is labeled a summer recipe, because it's cold noodles with a sweet and spicy taste. That in no way limits it to the hot months though. Heck, you could make this with hot noodles and all hot ingredients and it would be great. 

Also, while there is meat in it, I was thinking you could leave out the pork, chop up some fried tofu and season it and it would be really good, too. 

Ingredients: 

*udon (for two people)

*1 cucumber 

* 1 long onion

* 1 myoga (if you can find it) - minced

* several okra (okra here are really tiny, so I used a handful)

* shiitake mushrooms or other mushrooms (I used dried that I rehydrated)

* 200~300 grams of minced meat (I used pork, because beef is way too expensive here)

*  2 Tablespoons worth of fresh grated ginger

*sesame oil (for frying)

Sauce: 

*sake - 2 tablespoons

*sugar - 1 tablespoon

*miso - 2 tablespoons

*soy sauce - 1 tablespoon

*chicken bouillon/ consomme powder - 1 tablespoon

*Korean tobanjan (or something spicy) -1 teaspoon, or more if you like spicy

Above are the seasoning for the meat. 

Above are ingredients to be chopped. 

*If using dried shiitake, soak in warm water for awhile (until soft) then mince. Save the water to add to meat mixture (loads of umami!)

*Cut the cucumbers like matchsticks and half the white part of the long onion the same length as the cucumbers, but much thinner. You can run hot water over the onion or soak in water if you want to remove some of the kick. You'll be eating both raw on top of the noodles. 

*Mince the other half of the onion to cook with the meat.

*wash the okra, rub it with salt then boil. Cool in cold water then after cutting of the top, slice so they make attractive little stars. They'll be slimy.

*If you found myoga, mince. 

*Place everything in refrigerator to cool down. 

Fry up the meat, minced onions and shiitake (or mushrooms) with a little sesame oil. If it's too fatty, you can soak up and remove the extra oil with a paper towel and toss it. 

After the onion starts to get soft, add the ginger, sake, sugar, miso, soy sauce, tobanjan, consomme, shiitake water (or a little water if needed). Boil until liquid is reduced. Taste and add salt or more sugar or tobanjan to taste. 

When finished spread out on a tray or plate to cool. You can put in the fridge to cool down more or make ahead of time and keep in the fridge overnight. I don't mind have cold noodles with the miso meat sauce a little warm, so I don't bother cooling down that much. 

While everything is cooling off, boil udon per package instructions. Drain in a colander and run cold water over until the noodles are cold. Shake off excess water. Pile neatly on two plates. 

Put on sweet and spicy meat and miso sauce and garnish around with the okra, cucumber, finely cut long onion, and myoga. Voila!

Mix as you eat. 

There are all kinds of variations on this dish. Some have half a boiled egg, different vegetables, you name it. 

I'll attach some different versions I found for examples if you want to play around with the ingredients. Some use some chilled udon soup and pour over the entire dish.