This noodle, according to the Japanese, needs to be eaten only by swallowing whole large portions, pulling it out noisily and champing appetizingly (which is considered great praise for the cook). Rumor has it that this is a great art - there is a long and burning noodle. The yakisoba recipes below are just a few simple versions of a wide variety of cooking options for this simple but amazingly delicious dish.
What is this dish?
Yakisoba recipe is widely known throughout Japan and far beyond its borders: it is instant noodles generously flavored with fried meat fillet and thinly sliced vegetables. Sometimes they add mushrooms, various greens, cabbage, nori and, of course, yakisob sauce, which is sold in abundance in Asian countries.
Each prefecture in Japan has its own unique recipe, because the preparation of yakisoba is always a special skill of a cook who knows how to combine a variety of tastes.
Product Selection Feature
The recipe for yakisoba, which is used in Japan, differs somewhat from the usual in the post-Soviet territory by the main ingredient - noodles. Buckwheat flour noodles are used in our country, and ramen (instant noodles) or ordinary thin spaghetti made from durum wheat are used in Asia. Why such a mismatch?
The confusion was due to the name: soba is really buckwheat noodles, “yakisoba” means “fried noodles in sauce”, but all Asian cooks know that the buckwheat flour product is rather capricious and requires proper cooking as soon as possible, which not everyone succeeds. Therefore, they began to use noodles for this wheat dish, but quick cooking, because, in fact, the name accurately conveys the essence of the dish.
List of Essential Ingredients
Most often, yakisoba with pork is prepared according to the recipe, although, by and large, meat does not play a special role. The main thing is that it should be in sufficient quantity, and pork, chicken or veal is already a matter of taste and preference of the cook. So, what will be needed to prepare a serving for two people:
- 500 grams of pork fillet, cut into thin strips with a length of at least three centimeters.
- Three hundred grams of soba noodles made from durum wheat.
- Onions, carrots and bell peppers - one each.
- Three hundred grams of white cabbage or Peking (your choice).
- One hundred grams of soybean sprouts (optional, but this is a traditional ingredient in Japan).
- A few tablespoons of vegetable oil.
- Yakisoba sauce - 70 grams, can be replaced with teriyaki sauce.
Also, when serving, light sesame, shredded green onions, cilantro, pickled pink ginger are often used. These are not mandatory ingredients in a yakisob noodle recipe, but they give a unique Asian flavor to the dish and a specific taste.
Step cooking
The cooking process of this dish begins with the preparation of vegetables: peel the onion and chop into thin half rings, release the sweet pepper from the seeds and cut into long strips with a thickness of not more than 0.5 cm. Wash the carrots thoroughly, if necessary remove the upper skin, then cut into slices using a vegetable peeler . If it is not, then you can grate the vegetable on a grater for Korean carrots. Cabbage is usually cut into squares up to three cm wide, but if this form seems unusual, then you can use the more classic version - straws.
In a stewpan, heat the oil, place slices of pork in it and fry over high heat until the meat color changes. Then send onions, peppers and carrots there, mix and fry for three minutes, stirring occasionally. It is important not to stew the vegetables over low heat - everything is cooked pretty quickly so that they retain a light crunch.
Then pour the sauce, mix thoroughly and simmer a few more minutes (no more than five). In parallel with the preparation of vegetables, boil the noodles in a large amount of water as much as indicated on the label - usually this takes no more than five minutes. Discard the finished noodles in a colander, drain and pour one tablespoon of any vegetable oil, mix and put in a frying pan to vegetables. Add soybean sprouts. Using two spoons or a wide wooden spatula, mix the contents of the pan and simmer for two minutes over low heat, can be served.
Soba with chicken and egg
Those who don’t really like pork can cook chicken yakisoba with the recipe below:
- 350 grams of chicken fillet cut into small pieces, fry over high heat in two tablespoons of vegetable oil until the color changes, in no case fry until brown.
- Chop one red onion in half rings and add to the meat, send one bell pepper, cut into thin long strips. Continue the heat treatment process for another two to three minutes, then add 100 grams of soybean sprouts, if any. If not, you can do without them. The Yakisoba noodle recipe suggests using them not always.
- Mix 100 grams of water with 50 grams of teriyaki sauce, if there is an original yakisoba sauce, then, of course, it is better to use it. Pour the mixture into meat with vegetables and simmer for five minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, boil 180 grams of soba noodles, making sure that it is not digested: softened and falling apart into pieces, the yakisob is a sad sight. Discard in a colander, drain excess fluid and send to vegetables.
Stir the contents of the pan over low heat for a few more minutes. Separately, fry the egg so that the yolk remains liquid, and the protein remains dense. When serving, put ready-made noodles with vegetables and meat in a portioned plate, and carefully put an egg on top, making sure that the yolk does not spread. On top you can sprinkle with a small amount of crushed nori leaves (dried) or chopped feathers of green onions.
With buckwheat noodles: recipe with photo
Yakisoba with noodles from buckwheat flour is also possible, but it is important not to digest it, otherwise it will break into pieces, because it does not contain gluten that would fasten the noodle string into a strong structure. Therefore, you need to cook it for no more than eight minutes, you can even a little less, because it will reach the desired condition in the process of frying with meat and vegetables.
For cooking, the following proportions are used:
- 200 grams of noodles;
- 300 grams of meat fillet, sliced into thin slices;
- 150 grams of cabbage, cut into small squares;
- one onion, chopped thinly, and carrots in strips;
- 5-7 Art. spoons of yakisob sauce;
- a few feathers of green onions;
- 1 tbsp. a spoon of light sesame;
- 1/2 small pod of chili pepper.
Cooking
The principle of making yakisoba with buckwheat noodles is the same as with wheat: first, the meat is fried, then onions are added to it, after a minute carrots and cabbage. Pouring the sauce, combined with finely chopped chili, and the whole mass is stewed for several minutes.
Separately, the noodles are boiled and placed in a common boiler. Next, put out another five minutes and serve immediately, sprinkled with onions and sesame seeds, slightly fried in a dry frying pan for flavor.
If desired, in the process, you can add several pickled mushrooms, cut into pieces or inflorescences of Brussels sprouts or cauliflower instead of white leaves.
The recipe for this dish is good because it can be modified based on the taste preferences of the cook, as well as the availability of products. Do not forget about the main ingredient that makes this noodle so exceptional - sauce.
Sauce for the dish
If it is not possible to buy the original sauce, then you can make yakisoba sauce according to the recipe, which we will share below. You will need such products:
- Classic soy sauce without additives, fish or oyster sauce, Worcester sauce - each two tbsp. spoons.
- Sesame oil - 1 tbsp. spoon and the same amount of sugar, which, if desired, can be replaced with honey.
Mix all the ingredients in one dish, season with black ground pepper if desired. Pre-boil or heat it is not necessary, you can immediately send to vegetables in a pan.