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Poached Egg and Mentaiko Udon

Here’s one for the grown-ups. In Japan, we usually don’t drink sake or beer without a salty or spicy dish to tickle the palate. This udon is both salty and spicy, and is a perfect complement to your favorite beverage. The poached egg yolk in the dish adds a satisfying richness to the broth.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup Udon Broth (page 66)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
4 eggs
1 pound dried udon noodles
1/4 cup Japanese soy sauce
1/4 cup mentaiko (spicy fish roe), membrane peeled
1/2 cup cooked kombu, chilled (saved from preparing dashi), thinly sliced
4 sprigs mitsuba, cut into 1-inch lengths

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a saucepan, heat the broth just to a boil. Decrease the heat and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

    Step 2

    Bring a pot of water to a simmer (200°F) and add the rice vinegar. Crack 1 egg into a small bowl, then carefully slide it into the water. Wait 1 minute, then repeat with the remaining eggs, adding each in 1-minute intervals. Cook each egg for 3 to 4 minutes, until partially cooked through but the yolk is still soft. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon to a bowl and cover.

    Step 3

    Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, following package instructions. Drain well.

    Step 4

    Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Top each with 1/4 cup warm broth and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Add 1 poached egg to each bowl and garnish with the mentaiko, kombu, and mitsuba.

    Step 5

    To eat, combine thoroughly with chopsticks.

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