Udon and Dumplings

Udon and Dumplings

15ml tahini paste
15ml sesame oil
15ml miso
15ml soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
5ml grated ginger
500ml chicken stock
250ml milk
200g udon noodles
frozen dumplings, defrosted
30ml black sesame seeds
45ml chopped chives
chilli oil

Place a saucepan on medium-high heat and add the tahini, sesame, miso, soy, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for one minute or so.
Add the chicken stock a little at a time, stirring continuously. Keep going until all the stock has been added.
Pour in the milk and bring the mixture to a slow simmer.
Add the udon noodles, cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the dumplings, place the lid back on and cook on a low heat until warmed through.
Scatter over the sesame seeds and chives and drizzle with chilli oil to serve.


Spicy Pad Thai Noodles

Spicy Pad Thai Noodles

750ml chicken stock
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
2 red chillies, halved
2,5ml ground ginger
20ml soy sauce
10ml sugar
20ml oyster sauce
2,5ml sesame oil
2 x 200g fresh pad thai noodles
2 eggs, soft-boiled, peeled and halved
a handful of sliced green onion

Add the chicken stock, garlic, chillies, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce and sesame oil to a small saucepan and set it over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer.
Add the noodles and gently agitate it with a fork until it comes apart.
Place a lid on the saucepan and gently simmer for 10 minutes until the noodles are cooked.
Spoon the noodles and some of the broth into two serving bowls, add the boiled egg and scatter with the green onion to serve.

Udon Noodle Broth

Udon Noodle Broth

200g mushrooms, sliced
50g butter
750ml chicken (or vegetable) stock
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2,5ml ground ginger
20ml soy sauce
10ml sugar
20ml dry sherry (or Chinese cooking wine if you can get hold of any)
2,5ml sesame oil
2 x 200g fresh udon noodles
a small handful of chives, chopped

Place a frying pan on medium-high heat. Wait for it to heat up and then add the butter and mushrooms.
Fry until golden. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add the stock, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, sherry and sesame oil to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Turn down the heat so that the broth can simmer.
Place a lid on the saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the garlic and add the noodles to the broth.
Agitate the noodles with a fork so that they break up and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the fried mushroom and remove the saucepan from the heat.
Ladle the noodles and a good amount of broth into serving bowls and top with a sprinkling of chives.

Saucy Udon Noodles

Saucy Udon Noodles

The recipe makes one large portion but may be doubled as needed.

Sauce:
30ml cornstarch
125ml water, room temperature
60ml soy sauce
45ml honey
15ml lemon juice
2,5ml sesame oil

200g udon noodles
100g mushrooms, pan-fried
cucumber cut into thin “sticks”
radish cut into thin “sticks”

Ensure that the mushrooms are cooked and the cucumber and radish have been sliced and prepped.

For the sauce:
Add the cornstarch to a small mixing bowl and add just enough of the 125ml water to dissolve the cornstarch. Stir briefly.
Add the rest of the water, soy, honey, lemon juice and sesame oil and whisk together until fully incorporated.
Place a pan on medium heat, add the sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes while stirring continuously.
Remove the sauce from the heat as soon as it thickens – it is going back on so simply pull it away.


Cook the noodles according to packet instructions.
Place the sauce back on the heat and add the noodles.
Stir for about a minute so that the noodles absorb some of the sauce.
Spoon the noodles and any sauce into a serving bowl and arrange the mushroom, cucumber and radish on the noodles.
Serve immediately and slurp away!!