Nikomi Udon (Simmered Udon) in the Hot Cook
煮込みうどん【ホットクック】 · Nikomi Udon
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Nikomi udon is udon simmered right in its broth, so the noodles soak up the flavor of the dashi and turn soft and slurpable - exactly the texture little ones love. This version is made in the Hot Cook, Sharp's automatic cooking pot that is hugely popular in Japanese homes: you layer in the ingredients, press a button and let the machine stir and simmer for you. The seasoning is gentle, just dashi, a little mirin, soy sauce and a pinch of salt, and the frozen udon and spinach go in straight from the freezer, so it comes together on the busiest evenings.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 21 gcarrot
- 21 gonion
- 150 gfrozen udon noodles
- 37.5 gthinly sliced pork (komagire offcuts)Small offcuts of thinly sliced pork sold cheaply in Japanese supermarkets for stir-fries and soups. Substitute: Thinly sliced pork shoulder or loin, cut into bite-size pieces.
- 22.5 gfrozen spinach
Seasonings
- 262.5 gbonito and kombu dashiJapanese soup stock made from dried bonito flakes and kombu kelp, the everyday base for soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a light vegetable or chicken stock.
- 4.5 gmirinMirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
- 4.5 gsoy sauce
- 0.6 gsalt
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- bonito and kombu dashi (かつお・昆布だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock made from dried bonito flakes and kombu kelp, the everyday base for soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a light vegetable or chicken stock.
- mirin (みりん)
- Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
- thinly sliced pork (komagire offcuts) (豚小間)
- Small offcuts of thinly sliced pork sold cheaply in Japanese supermarkets for stir-fries and soups. Substitute: Thinly sliced pork shoulder or loin, cut into bite-size pieces.
Directions
- 1
Cut the carrot into thin strips and thinly slice the onion.
- 2
Put the water, dashi pack, carrot and onion into the inner pot and cook for 5 minutes using [Manual → Simmer → Stir].
- 3
Remove the dashi pack, add the mirin, soy sauce and salt, and cook for another 5 minutes using [Extend].
- 4
Add the udon straight from the freezer. Cut the pork into 1 cm wide strips. Add the pork, separating the slices as you go, then add the spinach still frozen and cook for 5 minutes using [Manual → Simmer → Stir].
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 246 kcal | 492 kcal | 246 kcal |
| Protein | 13.8 g | 27.6 g | 13.8 g |
| Fat | 4.7 g | 9.3 g | 4.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 39.8 g | 79.5 g | 39.8 g |
| Salt equivalent | 2.1 g | 4.2 g | 2.1 g |
| Calcium | 40.5 mg | 81 mg | 40.5 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg | 2.4 mg | 1.2 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 246 kcal | 13.8 g | 4.7 g | 39.8 g | 2.1 g | 40.5 mg | 1.2 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 492 kcal | 27.6 g | 9.3 g | 79.5 g | 4.2 g | 81 mg | 2.4 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
