What is “Kitsune udon”?

Kitsune Udon is a popular Japanese noodle dish that features thick, chewy udon noodles served in a savory broth. The dish is topped with a piece of sweet, fried tofu called aburaage. The name “kitsune” means “fox” in Japanese, and there’s a folklore belief that foxes love aburaage, hence the name.

The broth is typically made from a combination of dashi (a Japanese soup stock), soy sauce, and mirin (a sweet rice wine). The aburaage is simmered in a sweet and savory sauce before being placed on top of the noodles. The dish is often garnished with green onions and sometimes a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi (a Japanese spice blend).

Kitsune udon is a comforting and flavorful dish that’s enjoyed by many in Japan, and it’s a great introduction to Japanese cuisine for those who love noodles and savory flavors.

Ingredient pictures for your reference.

Aburaage

Cooking rice wine

Dried shiitake mushroom

Udon noodles

Dried kelp

Unique Nutrients Found in Soybeans

Isoflavones: These act like hormones in the body and are particularly helpful in strengthening bones.

Saponins: These components help reduce bad fats in the body.

Lecithin: Lecithin aids in improving brain function. It has effects that enhance memory and concentration.

Phytic Acid: Phytic acid helps with the absorption of minerals in the body, contributing to stronger bones and teeth.

Nutritional Benefits of Soybeans:

Isoflavones: Act like hormones in the body, particularly helping to strengthen bones.
Saponins: Help reduce bad fats in the body.
Lecithin: Improves brain function, enhancing memory and concentration.
Phytic Acid: Aids in the absorption of minerals, helping to strengthen bones and teeth.

Print Recipe

Kitsune udon

Udon noodles with simmerd fried tofu

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course:dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine:Japanese

Keyword:dinner, lunch, plant based, tofu, udon, vegan

Servings:2

Equipment

Measuring tools)
bowl
knife
Kettle for boiling
Colander
tablespoon
teaspoon
1/4 cup measure
Small Pot for making udon soup any pot that can hold 1 liter is fine
frying pan
Pot for boiling noodles It should hold at least 2 liter of water

Ingredients

For cooking udon noodles

2 bundles udon noodle
2 liter water about 10 cups

Udon Soup Ingredients

3 cups water
10 g kombu dried kelp
10 g dried shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup cooking sake
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt

Kitsune:Simmered Fried Tofu Ingredients

4 pieces of aburaage fried tofu
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 to 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cooking sake

Toppings

Green onions
Ichimi togarashi Japanese chili pepper or chili flakes

Instructions

Preparation:

Make the kombu and shiitake dashi. Put 3 cups of water, shiitake mushrooms, and kombu in a pot and heat. Before it gets to start boiling, lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Boil the udon noodle

Add at least 10 cups(2 liters) of water to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Do not add salt to the water.
Once it comes to a boil, add two bundles of udon noodles and boil for about 10 to 13 minutes, or according to the package instructions. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water to remove the sliminess, and drain again. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Making Simmered Fried Tofu:

Prepare hot water by using kettle. Pour boiling water over the aburaage to remove excess oil (optional but recommended for better taste).
Cut the aburaage in half or into thin strips if preferred.
In a frying pan, add sake, soy sauce, sugar, and water. Once the sugar dissolves, add the aburaage and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the flavors soak in.

Making Udon Soup:

Remove the kombu and shiitake mushrooms from the pot we prepared in the preparation step.
Add sugar, sake, and salt to the dashi in the pot and bring to a boil for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add soy sauce. Adjust the taste with more soy sauce if needed.
You can also add the kombu and shiitake mushrooms used for the dashi to the pan and then eat them together with udon.

Serving:

Place the boiled udon and soup in a bowl, top with simmered fried tofu. Pour the udon soup as much as you like.
Add green onions and chili flakes to taste.

Notes

If it’s difficult to find ‘aburaage,’ you can use ‘fried tofu’ or ‘puff tofu,’ which you can usually find in your local Asian grocery store. Even firm tofu works, but the taste and appearance will be different.

If you have time, you can prepare the broth by soaking the kombu and shiitake mushrooms in water and placing them in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, you can use this broth to make the udon soup.

Kitune Udon