Osaka-Style Kitsune Udon

With its perfect harmony of dashi broth and sweet, savory fried tofu pouches, Kitsune Udon is one of the most beloved udon noodle soups in Osaka, Japan. The fried tofu provides just the right accent, while its oil content contributes to the rich depth of the dish.

Jump to:

• What is Kitsune Udon?
• Fried tofu options
• Udon soup seasoning
• 📋Step-by-step recipe
• Recipe card

What is Kitsune Udon?

Kitsune Udon is a type of Japanese udon noodle soup topped with sweet and savory seasoned fried tofu pouches called 'inari age.'

The term "Kitsune" means foxes, but in this dish, it refers to the seasoned fried tofu pouches. At first glance, foxes and fried tofu seem unrelated, but in Japan, there is folklore that foxes are fond of fried tofu, and its color and shape are associated with foxes, which is why it is called kitsune.

So, why are seasoned fried tofu pouches put on udon noodle soup? There is a bit of a story behind that. This dish was created at an udon restaurant called Matsubaya (now known as Usamitei Matsubaya) in Osaka, Japan.

The owner of Matsubaya, who had experience working at a sushi restaurant, used to serve Inari Sushi alongside udon noodle soup. Inari sushi is a dish in which sushi rice is wrapped in a sweet and savory seasoned fried tofu pouch. However, at this restaurant, inari sushi was served with the fried tofu on a separate plate from the sushi rice. As a result, some customers placed the fried tofu on top of their udon noodle soup. Seeing this, the owner began serving udon noodle soup with the fried tofu from the start, giving birth to kitsune udon.

Though this dish was created by coincidence, the combination of the udon soup and seasoned fried tofu pouches creates a perfect harmony, as if it had been carefully planned from the beginning. The richness and smooth texture of the fried tofu transform udon noodle soup into a dish that is both light yet flavorful. Today, this dish is enjoyed all over Japan and is known as one of the signature dishes of Osaka, along with Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki.

Fried tofu options

Now, the key ingredient for this dish is seasoned fried tofu pouches, which are quite easy to make. All you have to do is remove the excess oil from them and then simmer them in a seasoned liquid to let the flavors soak in. The recipe below includes detailed instructions.

However, if you want to make kitsune udon more conveniently, it might be worth checking out your local Asian market. You might find commercial items labeled as 'Inari Age' or 'Inarizushi-no-Moto' (meaning the ingredient for inari sushi) in either the refrigerated or canned sections. Using these store-bought options, you can make this dish by simply placing them on top of your udon. Feel free to choose the option that best suits your preference or situation.

Udon soup seasoning

When preparing this dish, it is advisable to focus on the flavor of the udon soup.

The seasoning of udon soup varies primarily between the Kanto region in eastern Japan and the Kansai region in western Japan. In the Kanto region, a large amount of soy sauce is used, giving the soup a rich color and a strong, salty flavor. In contrast, the Kansai region uses a more flavorful dashi broth and less soy sauce, resulting in a lighter color and milder saltiness.

While kitsune udon can be prepared with either style of seasoning, given its origin in Osaka (located in the Kansai region), I highly recommend the Kansai-style seasoning. Kansai-style seasoning typically involves using awase dashi, made from kombu (dried kelp) and bonito flakes. The combination of the rich dashi broth and the sweet and savory fried tofu pouches will surely captivate your taste buds.

📋Step-by-step recipe

Ingredients

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Instructions

🕒 Total: 1 hr hr 10 mins mins

When using store-bought inari age, skip steps 5 and 6.

Step 1
Put water and kombu in a pot and let it sit for at least 30 minutes until the kombu softens.

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Step 2
Heat the pot over very low heat for about 10 minutes (for 2 servings). When small bubbles appear on the surface of the liquid, remove the kombu.

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Step 3
Increase the heat and bring the water (kombu dashi) to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, add bonito flakes, and let it simmer for 6 minutes.

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Step 4
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 having some fine bonito flakes remaining, you can simply use a fine-mesh strainer. Awase dashi (udon broth), which combines kombu dashi and bonito dashi, is now ready.

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Step 5
Place aburaage in a bowl and pour hot water (not included in the recipe) over it to remove the excess oil. Take the aburaage out of the bowl, and once it has cooled enough to touch, gently squeeze out any excess moisture. If the aburaage is large, you can optionally cut it into halves or quarters, depending on your preference.

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Step 6
In a pot, combine a portion of the awase dashi (as specified in the recipe) with mirin, sugar, and soy sauce, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the aburaage and simmer over low heat, flipping occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Inari age is ready.

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Step 7
Thinly slice green onion diagonally or into rings.

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Step 8
When using fresh, dried, or pre-cooked udon noodles: Boil the udon noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain them in a colander.

When 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. You can also cook them by boiling, just like the other types of udon noodles.

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Step 9
Return the dashi to the pot, add mirin and light soy sauce, and bring it to a boil.

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Step 10
Place the udon noodles in a bowl and pour the liquid mixture (udon soup) over them. Loosen the udon noodles with chopsticks and then top with the inari age and green onions.

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To Store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. However, it is recommended to combine the udon noodles with the soup just before eating, as cooked udon noodles tend to lose their texture over time.

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