Yakisoba (Japanese fried noodles)

Recipe for authentic Japanese fried noodles with meat and vegetables

This recipe was originally derived from the Chinese kitchen, but is now one of the traditional Japanese dishes for a quick lunch or weekend dinner. Yakisoba ist very easy to make (most of the time you need is to cut the vegetables) and you can add almost any ingredients to make it your own. Popular varieties include vegetarian, seafood, fish fillet or with pork belly.

Ingredients for 4 persons

200 g of beef fillet
200 g chicken breast fillet
4 tblsp dark soy sauce
500 g Japanese wheat noodles
1 onion
1 carrot
4 Shiitake mushrooms, fresh or dried
12 snow peas
150 g broccoli
5 scallions
300 g cabbage leaves
1 can of bamboo shoots (small, about 200 g)
50 g pickled red ginger
20 g dried green seaweed
150 g soybean sprouts
1 tblsp sake
120 ml yakisoba sauce
4 tblsp sesame oil

Preparation

Marinate the meat in soy sauce for an hour. If you use dried Shiitake mushrooms, soak in warm water. In the meantime peel the onion and cut into half rings. Slice the shiitake mushrooms and cut the carrot into julienned strips. Clean the broccoli and cut into fine florets. Chop the spring onions and the cabbage into approx. 0.5 cm pieces. Drain the bamboo shoots and the ginger and cut into fine strips.
Cut the marinated meat into fine strips.
In a wok, heat 2 tblsp of sesame oil on medium heat, fry the meat and set aside.
Cook the noodles in salted hot water for about 3-5 minutes. Then drain and set aside.
Add a tbsp of sesame oil to the wok and fry onions, broccoli and carrots. After a minute, add cabbage and snow peas, then, after another minute, add bamboo shoots and Shiitake mushrooms and stir constantly. Put everything in a bowl.
Now fry the noodles in the wok for approx. 1 minute. Then add the vegetables and the meat and keep stirring. Blanch the soy sprouts and stir in.
Add the yakisoba sauce and a dash of sake. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with dried green seaweed and pickled ginger and serve immediately

If you dont get Yakisoba-Sauce in the grocery store, here is a quick and easy recipe on how to make it on your own.
All you need is:
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (Usutah So-su)
1 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. ketchup
½ tsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. sugar
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir together.

Image source: Fotolia #89581037 © marcelokrelling