pov: you're craving refreshing noodles after a hard workout

it’s always after the workouts, when the cravings are the most simple, clear, and undeniable. after this particularly hard trail run with 2000 ft of elevation, i came home knowing exactly what i wanted: cold udon, in ice cold broth, with thinly sliced beef that’s been sauteed in a slightly sweet + salty sauce.

i knew exactly the flavors i wanted, and with none of the restaurants nearby offering what i wanted, i had to take matters in to my own hands.

for the noodles, i knew i wanted udon that i could grab from the store, but the topping took a bit of thinking. i definitely wanted something with beef and onion, the perfect pairing of flavors, with a simple straightforward trio of sauces that always tastes good: soy sauce, mirin, sake, and a little sugar.

the broth comes together easy, with a bit of concentrate + water, but the ice takes it to the next level. so here’s how to make your own, when you find yourself craving cold, refreshing, noodles that serves 2…

• Ingredients:

  • 1 lb thinly sliced beef

  • 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 japanese spring onion

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 tbsp mirin

  • 1 tbsp sake

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • 14 oz frozen udon noodles

  • 2 tbsp mentsuyu concentrate + 3/4 cup of water + a few ice cubes

  • 1 soft boiled egg

• Instructions:

  • combine the beef with the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and white onion in a bowl

  • let marinate in the fridge for 10-15 mins while prepping the other ingredients

  • to cook the soft boiled egg, place the egg in a pot with an inch of water that been heated on high till boiling

  • let the egg simmer in the pot for 6 mins before dropping in ice cold water to stop the cooking process

  • slice up the japanese spring onion into 1 inch chunks, then heat up a pan

  • add the marinated beef and white onions, along with the rest of the marinade

  • cook until the beef is browned, the onions have softened

  • place the udon noodles in boiling water and let cook for ~3 mins

  • in the meantime, make the broth, combining the mentsuyu, with the water, and ice cubes

  • to serve, place the beef on top of the udon noodles and pour in the broth or take some udon, a few pieces of beef, and dunk into the broth, slurping directly out of the broth bowl!