Kake Udon in Hot Kombu and Bonito Broth

What you need

• 800 ml (3 1/3 cups) water, for the dashi
• 10 g kombu, a piece about 10 cm (4 in) square
• 15 g katsuobushi, dried bonito flakes
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce, usukuchi, or regular soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt, to taste
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) frozen udon noodles, 2 portions
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 pinch shichimi togarashi, for serving

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Put the kombu in a saucepan with the water and let it soak for 20 min.

2. 2

   Heat slowly over medium-low heat and lift out the kombu as soon as small bubbles form, just before the water boils.

3. 3

   Bring the water to a boil, scatter in the katsuobushi and turn off the heat. Leave until the flakes sink, 2-3 min.

4. 4

   Pour the dashi through a fine sieve and let it drip through without pressing the flakes. There should be about 600 ml.

5. 5

   Return the dashi to the pan, add the soy sauce, mirin and sugar and simmer for 2 min.

6. 6

   Taste and add salt a pinch at a time until the broth is well seasoned but not salty. Keep it hot.

7. 7

   Cook the udon in a large pot of boiling water until soft and heated through, 1-3 min for frozen noodles. Drain well.

8. 8

   Warm two deep bowls with hot water, then tip the water out.

9. 9

   Divide the noodles between the bowls and ladle the hot broth over them.

10. 10

    Scatter over the scallions and a pinch of shichimi togarashi and serve at once.

Imported from nonguiltypleasures.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.