Kitsune Udon

Ingredients:

For the soup Broth:

• 2½ cups dashi (Japanese soup stock; click to learn more) (homemade dashi recipe below; or 2½ cups water + 1 to 1¼ tsp dashi powder)
• 1 Tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp usukuchi (light-colored) soy sauce (or regular soy sauce; we use the light-colored version here so the soup doesn't become too dark)
• ½ tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)

For Kitsune Udon:

• 2 servings udon noodles (6.3 oz/180 g dry udon noodles; 1.1 lb/500 g frozen or parboiled udon noodles)
• 4 Inari age (seasoned fried tofu pouch) (you can buy canned or refrigerated Inari age; for my homemade Inari age recipe, click here)
• 1 green onion/scallion
• 4 slices narutomaki (fish cakes) (optional; skip for vegetarian/vegan)
• shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (optional; sprinkle at the table)

Instructions:

1. Boil/make the dashi broth as instructed
2. In a saucepan, add the dashi, mirin, sugar, soy sauce, and salt and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat or cover and keep on a low simmer.
3. Squeeze the excess liquid from theInari age(or you can keep it as is). Cut the green onion into thin slices. Cut thenarutomakifish cake into ⅛-inch (3 mm) slices.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the udon noodles. My favorite udon isfrozenSanukiudon. Reheat the frozen udon noodles in boiling water for 1 minute (no need to defrost). If you use dry noodles, follow the package instructions.
5. Pick up the noodles in a strainer or drain the hot water. Make sure to shake off the excess water (which will end up diluting your soup).
6. Divide the drained udon noodles into individual serving bowls. Pour the hot broth over the noodles to cover. Top with the Inari age, narutomaki, and green onions. Sprinkle theshichimi togarashion top (optional).