Japanese Curry Udon

If you are craving a rich and hearty udon dish, Curry Udon is the perfect choice. Combining the richness of curry with the flavors of udon noodle soup, it is definitely worth trying.

Curry Udon is a dish in which boiled udon noodles are served in a curry-flavored soup. The curry soup refers to a soup flavored by adding Japanese curry roux or curry powder to dashi broth and thickened with starch. This dish is often thought to be simply pouring curry over boiled udon, but that is actually not the case. In Japan, curry udon requires the use of dashi as the soup base. This tradition is related to the origin of this dish.

In the mid-to-late 19th century, curry was introduced to Japan and soon became popular in the form of Curry Rice. To compete with this rising popularity, the soba noodle restaurant 'Sanchō-an' created Curry Soba and Curry Udon to attract customers. These soups were made by dissolving curry roux in bonito dashi, which is typically used for soba and udon noodle soups, and then thickening it with potato starch. This unique combination quickly gained popularity; it is said that curry udon made this way was more common than curry rice by the early 20th century.

Therefore, even today, curry udon has elements of curry, yet it is still classified as a type of udon noodle soup. This is why you won’t find curry udon at curry restaurants in Japan, but you will find it at udon restaurants.

Upon hearing this, some people who have never made dashi broth before might worry about making this dish, but rest assured: the recipe includes instructions on how to make dashi, and you can prepare it in under 10 minutes with just bonito flakes and two simple steps.

The combination of curry and dashi creates a unique taste experience that you won’t find in other dishes. Give this dish a try and bring this popular Japanese flavor to your dining table.

Curry udon is classified as a type of udon noodle soup, so some of the ingredients used are different from those in Japanese curry. The most commonly used ingredients include:

• Naganegi (Japanese leeks)
• Yellow onions
• Green onions / scallions
• Aburaage (deep-fried tofu)
• Meat (pork or beef)

In particular, using naganegi is recommended because it adds a distinctive flavor to the dish. It can also be substituted with regular leeks.

The choice of meat is also important, as it affects the overall taste of the dish. Pork or beef is commonly used, with regional preferences in Japan. Pork is more popular in eastern Japan, while beef is preferred in western Japan.

I find that pork adds richness to the curry without overpowering its flavor, while beef provides a stronger taste to the dish. For this reason, I recommend using beef because its flavor pairs exceptionally well with curry.

Regardless of your choice of meat, using fatty cuts is advisable. You can also opt for chicken or seafood.

Some readers may not be familiar with Japanese curry, so I will briefly touch on it.

Japanese curry differs from Indian or Thai curries in that it has a milder spice profile. It has a thick, stew-like texture that is rich yet mild, with a subtle sweetness. This distinctive texture and flavor have gained popularity worldwide, and it has become recognized as "Japanese Curry." Japanese curry can be made at home using curry roux or curry powder sold by Japanese manufacturers.

The curry used for curry udon is also Japanese curry. Its mellow flavor harmonizes perfectly with dashi broth. You should be able to find Japanese curry roux at your local grocery store or Asian market, so please check it out.

In Japanese households, it is common to make curry udon using leftover curry from curry rice. Some people even make extra curry when preparing curry rice specifically to use for curry udon.

Even when using leftover curry, you can follow the same steps in this recipe. In that case, adjust the ingredients based on the amount of leftover curry you have.

Ingredients

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Instructions

🕒 Total: 25 mins mins

If you already have bonito dashi or another type of dashi, start from step 3. In that case, use 2 ½ cups (600 ml) of your dashi for 2 servings.

Step 1
Put water in a pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, add bonito flakes, and let it simmer for 3 minutes.

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Step 2
Turn off the heat and strain the mixture through a sieve lined with paper towels or a cloth (such as cheesecloth). Alternatively, if you don't mind some fine bonito flakes remaining, you can simply use a fine-mesh strainer. Bonito dashi (udon broth) is now ready.

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Step 3
Cut Japanese leek into ⅕-inch (5 mm) diagonal slices. Thinly slice green onion diagonally or into rings. Cut beef into bite-sized pieces.

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Step 4
Return the bonito dashi to the pot, add the leeks, beef, and seasonings (mirin, sugar, and soy sauce), and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes, skimming off any scum.

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Step 5
Turn off the heat, add curry roux to the pot, and dissolve it. In a small bowl, mix starch with water, then gradually add the mixture to the pot. Heat the pot again and simmer briefly to eliminate the powdery texture of the starch.

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Step 6
If using fresh, dried, or pre-cooked udon noodles: Boil the udon noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain them in a colander.

If using frozen udon noodles: Lightly sprinkle water over the udon noodles. Then, place them on a microwave-safe plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on medium power (500W) for about 4 minutes. (Since this method can cause uneven heating, it is best to microwave one serving at a time. You can also boil them like the other types of udon noodles.)

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Step 7
Place the udon noodles in a bowl and pour the curry soup over them. Loosen the udon noodles with chopsticks and then top with the green onions.

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To store

This dish is not suitable for storage because cooked udon noodles tend to lose their texture over time, making them less enjoyable. However, the curry soup alone can be stored for up to 2 days.