This rich sauce gets its heat from toban djan, a spicy chili-bean paste

Udon Noodles with Spicy Meat and Mushroom Sauce

Name: Udon Noodles with Spicy Meat and Mushroom Sauce
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil; 8 ounces 80 percent lean ground beef; 8 ounces ground pork; 4 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped; 8 ounce can bamboo shoots, rinsed, drained and finely chopped (optional); 2 medium garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger; 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1/4 cup sake; 1-2 tablespoons chili-bean sauce (toban djan); 2 tablespoons miso, preferably red; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon mirin; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 recipe (about 1¾ pounds) homemade udon noodles (p. TK), cooked, drained and rinsed; 4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal; 1/2 English cucumber, cut into matchsticks

Adapted by Calvin Cox

Appears in March-April 2022

50 minutes

Free

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This meaty, umami-rich sauce from “Japanese Home Cooking” by Sonoko Sakai is a perfect match for thick, hearty udon noodles, whether you use homemade or store-bought. A salty fermented chili-bean paste called toban djan provides the spiciness; use the smaller dose if you’re sensitive to chili heat. If you’ve used the larger amount and still want more heat in the sauced noodles, offer a bottle of chili oil at the table.

6

Servings

Tip

Don’t forget to stir the cornstarch-water slurry before adding it to the sauce. Upon standing, the starch settles to the bottom of the bowl, so stirring is necessary to recombine. After adding the slurry to the sauce, be sure to return to a simmer while stirring so the sauce thickens properly and doesn’t form starchy lumps.

50 minutes

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

8 ounces 80 percent lean ground beef

8 ounces ground pork

4 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped

8 ounce can bamboo shoots, rinsed, drained and finely chopped (optional)

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup sake

1-2 tablespoons chili-bean sauce (toban djan)

2 tablespoons miso, preferably red

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 recipe (about 1¾ pounds) homemade udon noodles (p. TK), cooked, drained and rinsed

4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1/2 English cucumber, cut into matchsticks

Ingredients

2

tablespoons toasted sesame oil
8

ounces 80 percent lean ground beef
8

ounces ground pork
4

shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped
8

ounce can bamboo shoots, rinsed, drained and finely chopped (optional)
2

medium garlic cloves, minced
2

tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2

cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼

cup sake
1-2

tablespoons chili-bean sauce (toban djan)
2

tablespoons miso, preferably red
2

tablespoons soy sauce
1

tablespoon mirin
2

tablespoons cornstarch
1

recipe (about 1¾ pounds) homemade udon noodles (p. TK), cooked, drained and rinsed
4

scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
½

English cucumber, cut into matchsticks

Recipe

Homemade Udon Noodles

Udon noodles spicy meat mushroom sauce v

Directions

01

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the sesame oil until shimmering. Add the ground beef and pork, then cook, stirring and breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots (if using), garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, sake, chili-bean sauce, miso, soy sauce and mirin. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a simmer, until the liquid has reduced by half, 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; set aside.
02

When the liquid is properly reduced, stir the cornstarch slurry to recombine, then stir it into the meat-mushroom mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce returns to a simmer and has thickened, about 1 minute. Add the noodles to the pot, toss to combine with the sauce and cook, stirring, just until the noodles are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide among individual bowls and top with the scallions and cucumber.

Tip: Don’t forget to stir the cornstarch-water slurry before adding it to the sauce. Upon standing, the starch settles to the bottom of the bowl, so stirring is necessary to recombine. After adding the slurry to the sauce, be sure to return to a simmer while stirring so the sauce thickens properly and doesn’t form starchy lumps.

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Simple, Bold Recipes

Udon Noodles with Spicy Meat and Mushroom Sauce

Get Ready to Cook

6

Servings

50 minutes

Tip

Ingredients

2

tablespoons toasted sesame oil
8

ounces 80 percent lean ground beef
8

ounces ground pork
4

shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped
8

ounce can bamboo shoots, rinsed, drained and finely chopped (optional)
2

medium garlic cloves, minced
2

tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2

cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼

cup sake
1-2

tablespoons chili-bean sauce (toban djan)
2

tablespoons miso, preferably red
2

tablespoons soy sauce
1

tablespoon mirin
2

tablespoons cornstarch
1

recipe (about 1¾ pounds) homemade udon noodles (p. TK), cooked, drained and rinsed
4

scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
½

English cucumber, cut into matchsticks

Recipe

Homemade Udon Noodles

Make the Meat-Mushroom Mixture

tablespoons toasted sesame oil

ounces 80 percent lean ground beef

ounces ground pork

shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped

ounce can bamboo shoots, rinsed, drained and finely chopped (optional)

medium garlic cloves, minced

tablespoons minced fresh ginger

cups low-sodium chicken broth

cup sake

1-2

tablespoons chili-bean sauce (toban djan)

tablespoons miso, preferably red

tablespoons soy sauce

tablespoon mirin

tablespoons cornstarch

tablespoons water

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the sesame oil until shimmering. Add the ground beef and pork, then cook, stirring and breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots (if using), garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in the broth, sake, chili-bean sauce, miso, soy sauce and mirin. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a simmer, until the liquid has reduced by half, 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; set aside.

Cook the Noodles

recipe (about 1¾ pounds) homemade udon noodles (p. TK), cooked, drained and rinsed

scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

English cucumber, cut into matchsticks

When the liquid is properly reduced, stir the cornstarch slurry to recombine, then stir it into the meat-mushroom mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce returns to a simmer and has thickened, about 1 minute.

Add the noodles to the pot, toss to combine with the sauce and cook, stirring, just until the noodles are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide among individual bowls and top with the scallions and cucumber.

Udon Noodles with Spicy Meat and Mushroom Sauce

This recipe is free until September 7, 2022. Start your 14-day free trial to access every Milk Street recipe. Learn More.

6

50 minutes

Homemade Udon Noodles

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