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Kamatama udon
釜玉うどん (kamatama udon): piping-hot Sanuki udon tossed with raw egg and soy until silky
Kagawa, the smallest prefecture in Japan, eats more udon than anywhere else, and its Sanuki udon is known for a firm, springy bite. Locals queue at self-service udon shops at breakfast, and one of the most popular orders is kamatama: noodles lifted straight from the boiling pot, dropped onto a raw egg and tossed until the heat turns the egg into a glossy coating, a little like carbonara. A splash of soy sauce and some spring onion are all it needs. Use frozen Sanuki-style udon, which is closest to fresh. Chef's tip: warm the bowls and crack the egg in first. The noodles must go in seconds after leaving the water, or the egg won't cook into a sauce.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Stir 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp mirin together. Fill two deep bowls with hot water to warm them.
Step 2: Bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 frozen Sanuki-style udon noodles from frozen and cook for 1 minute less than the packet says, usually 1–2 minutes, loosening with chopsticks.
2 minStep 3: While the noodles cook, empty the bowls, dry them and crack one of 2 eggs into each. Beat lightly with chopsticks.
Step 4: Lift the noodles out with tongs, give them one quick shake and drop them straight onto the eggs. Toss immediately and quickly for 30 seconds, until the egg turns creamy and clings to every noodle.
1 minStep 5: Common mistake: rinsing or draining the udon in a colander first. They cool down within seconds and the egg stays raw and runny. Straight from pot to bowl is the trick.
Step 6: Drizzle over the soy mixture, top with 2 spring onions and ⅛ oz fresh ginger, and add ⅓ oz butter and 1 pinch black pepper if you like. Toss once more and eat at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kamatama udon take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 3 minutes to prepare and 7 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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