Japanese Bar Creamy Mentaiko Kimchi Udon

Kimchi udon is a Japanese snack bar-inspired noodle dish that is perfect for a casual night with drinks or just a cozy dinner while watching your favourite shows.

Frozen udon:

Frozen udon is my preferred noodle for this dish. It tastes fresh and bouncy compared to its shelf-stable counterpart. I love how well it absorbs the flavour and the silky mouth feel it adds to the dish. Alternatively, you can turn this into a pasta dish using spaghetti or spaghettini as a replacement.

Kimchi:

For this recipe use old kimchi. In other words, well-fermented kimchi used for cooking. I usually love to eat young kimchi that is less fermented for a side dish. It’s salty, light and fresh but since we will be cooking the kimchi we need the sharper taste for that umami kick. I recommend Sankou brand cabbage kimchi! You can also follow these steps to make your own kimchi, but it will require a longer fermentation time than stated to make old kimchi.

Kewpie Mayo:

This is a Japanese mayonnaise that tastes rich and sweet, as it’s only made with egg yolks. Kewpie mayo is a bit pricey compared to your typical mayonnaise but it’s worth every penny. You can try it in any recipe that requires mayo and you will taste a difference! I make my potato salads and deviled eggs with kewpie mayo as a secret ingredient and they’re always a hit at dinner parties. You can find it in the Asian cooking aisle or at your local Asian grocery store. Regular mayo can be used as a substitute but unfortunately, it will not be the same!

Mentaiko:

Mentaiko are tiny red fish eggs. It gives the dish a lovely seafood umami, that’s creamy and addictive. However, it’ll probably be the most challenging ingredient to find. They come fresh, frozen or in dried packs. The fresh and frozen varieties will have a membrane that envelopes the eggs. All you need to do is make a hole and squeeze all the eggs out. I was able to find some fresh and frozen ones at H-Mart. The dried packs can be sprinkled in directly. If you can’t find any of these a 1/2 tsp of fish sauce can be used as a replacement for the seafood-y umami taste. 

Nori seaweed:

Nori is a crispy sheet type of seaweed. You may have eaten it with your sushi. Although the recipe calls for a very small amount, I do recommend not skipping it. There’s something about the combo of kewpie mayo, kimchi and nori that is sooo delicious. 

Mentai Kimchi Udon

Ingredients:

2 servings frozen udon

1/2 cup old kimchi (diced finely)

2 tbsp kewpie mayo

2 cloves garlic minced

1tbsp olive oil

1tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp mentaiko

2in x 2in sheet of nori seaweed (thinly shredded with scissors)

1 green onion thinly sliced

Boil a pot of water for the udon.

Fry 2 minced garlic cloves in 1 tbsp of olive oil on medium-high heat. Once it becomes fragrant, add 1/2 cup of drained and diced kimchi. Stir fry for 2 mins. 

Place the udon in the boiling water and let it cook. When the udon becomes soft, you can gently separate them with chopsticks. 

Transfer udon with tongs directly into the frying pan with the kimchi. Add 2 tbsp kewpie mayo, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tbsp mentaiko. Stir to combine. Add a good splash of the udon water to loosen the sauce. Plate onto a serving dish.

Top with thin shreds of seaweed and sliced green onion.

Enjoy!