Ah, udon noodles—I have a long, beautiful love affair with these staples of Japanese cuisine. But don’t worry, this isn’t one of those sites where I tell my life story before I give you the recipe.
No, no, no—this is a serious blog. Quick rundown: I cover the ingredients and the process, then bam—we move on to the recipe!
Ingredients for stir-fried udon with pork, garlic and cabbage
Light and dark soy sauce: Light soy sauce is the classic one you’ll find at the supermarket. Dark soy sauce is a bit trickier to source, but you can pick it up at an Asian grocery.
Oyster sauce: It doesn’t taste like oysters, but it’s essential to the flavor of many Asian dishes. While you can make a passable substitute, I recommend getting the real thing.
Sesame oil: A fragrant oil with a divine flavor—very potent, in fact—so use it sparingly!
How to make stir-fried udon with pork, garlic and cabbage
It all starts with the “cooking” of the udon—I put that in quotes because udon are often sold pre-cooked. They come vacuum-packed and already soft when you open the package.
Unfortunately, you can’t toss them straight into the wok (if only!). Boil briefly—2 to 3 minutes—gently stirring until they loosen and separate. Drain well in a colander, and you’re set!
Next, cook the bacon. Why bacon? Because fat is flavor. And why not slice it? Because laying it on top looks great on the plate.
That said, you can use other cuts of pork or slice the bacon; leaving it whole also helps it brown evenly on all sides. Worst case, slice it after cooking.
Then it’s business as usual. Sauté the aromatics, then the vegetables, add the noodles, pour in the sauce, add the meat, and you’re done! Enjoy! For a more classic version, try my stir-fried noodles with pork
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Chinese cabbage leaves, separated into white and green parts, both thinly sliced
- 0.5 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 2 bacon slices
- 300 g pre-cooked udon noodles, boiled for 1 minute
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a very hot wok, searing on both sides until browned and cooked through. Set aside.2 bacon slices
- Add the sesame oil and sauté the garlic in the wok over high heat.1 tablespoon sesame oil, 3 garlic cloves, minced
- When the garlic starts to brown, add the white parts of the cabbage and the onion. Stir frequently.3 Chinese cabbage leaves, separated into white and green parts, both thinly sliced, 0.5 onion, thinly sliced
- When the vegetables are browned, add the green parts of the cabbage and continue stirring.
- After 3 minutes, add the noodles and the sauces, and stir well for 2–4 minutes over high heat.300 g pre-cooked udon noodles, boiled for 1 minute, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
