Japanese Miso Mapo Udon

Method

1. Fill a 20 cm pot generously with water for the udon and bring it to a boil over high heat, about 6 min. Meanwhile cut the tofu into 1.5 cm cubes and loosen the miso in 2 tbsp of water.

   high heat

2. Heat the oil in a 22 cm deep pan and stir-fry the pork over medium-high heat for 3 min, until it turns white and the edges brown.

   Add in this stepCooking oil 1 tbspGround pork 100 g

   medium-high heat

3. Turn down to low heat, add the doubanjiang, loosened miso, garlic and ginger and fry for 1 min. Miso scorches easily, so keep the heat low.

   Add in this stepDoubanjiang (chili bean paste) 1 tbspRed miso 1 tbspMinced garlic ¾ tbspMinced ginger ½ tbsp

   low heat

4. Add the water, dashi powder, mirin and soy sauce. When it boils, add the tofu and simmer over medium heat for 3 min. Shake the pan rather than stirring the tofu.

   Add in this stepWater 450 mlInstant dashi powder 1 tspMirin 1½ tbspSoy sauce 1 tbspSilken tofu 200 g

   medium heat

5. Drop the frozen udon into the boiling water and cook over high heat for 1 min 30 sec, until the noodles separate and turn springy. Drain well, shake off the water and divide between bowls.

   Add in this stepFrozen udon noodles (about 200 g per portion) 2

   high heat

6. Mix the starch with the water and stir it into the mapo sauce a little at a time over medium heat, until it pours from a ladle in a thick ribbon. Ladle it generously over the udon, then finish with green onion, sesame oil and sansho and eat right away.

   Add in this stepPotato starch 1½ tbspWater for the starch 3 tbspGreen onions, thinly sliced 20 gToasted sesame oil ½ tspSansho pepper (or ground Sichuan pepper) to taste

   medium heat