Ok, yakisoba and Yakitori are quite simple.
Later we can get int gyoza, Okonomiyaki and maybe what makes a good yakiniku.
So here is Yakisoba.
Okay, before we get started I want to put a disclaimer in here stating that I cook by sight and taste so with the exception of the sauce recipe, everything else are as close to approximate as I can get. So of course, feel free to add a little more or a little less to suit your particular taste.
With that said, on with the show!
Yakisoba
1 Cup diced chicken, sliced beef, sliced pork or any other protein you choose (I like to use 1/2 cup chicken and 10 large shrimp when I have them )
1/4 diced, sliced or julienned carrots
2 cabbage leaves
1/8 cup bean sprouts (optional. Personally, I don’t)
Vegetable or any neutral flavored oil (best if in a squirt bottle
Salt
Pepper
1 scallion chopped
Yakisoba noodles (if you are looking to make a quick yakisoba or can’t find the noodles, a pack of instant raman will work)
Yakisoba sauce
1 tbs sake
1 tbs mirin
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs tonkatsu sauce (if you don’t have that, use 1tbs of worcestershire)
1.5 tbs worcestershire sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs ketchup
1 tsp sugar
pinch salt and pepper
Making of the sauce
- Measure everything and put in a bowl. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Done.
Preparing of the noodles.
If using fresh yakisoba noodles from the cooler.
- Get a bowl of HOT water (not boiling) place your noodles in the water. You want them to soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
If using instant ramen.
Place ramen brick in bowl, add water to cover. Place in microwave and cook for 5 minutes. Remove and strain water off.
Cooking of the rest of the ingredients.
- Get you wok out, add about a table spoon of oil and place over medium heat.
- When hot, add carrots. Keep the carrots moving because is doesn’t take much for them to burn and you have to start over. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add chicken, pinch of salt and pepper. Keep it moving, the carrots will still burn.
Cook the chicken through.
- Add bean sprouts if your using them. Cook for about a minute to a minute and a half. Keep everything in the wok movi
ng.
- Add cabbage. Cook until the cabbage starts to reduce. Keep it all moving.
- Move everything to the sides of the wok and add about a tablespoon of oil to the wok.
- Add noodles. Really keep it moving. Flip and stir the noodles until the oil has coated them completely.
- Add the sauce. Not all of it. Add enough to coat everything and slightly change the color of the noodles. Keep everything moving.
Cook for about a minute.
- Plate and top with a pinch of salt and pepper then add your chopped scallions.
ENJOY!!
Notes.
- I cannot stress enough about keeping everything moving in the wok because it will burn and burn very quickly. A lot faster than you would think. Especially the noodles. If you don’t keep the noodles moving, they will stick, burn and start turning crunchy which is not what you’re looking for.
- The consistency with the noodles you’re looking for is an al dente. You don’t want a mushy and you don’t want them crunchy.
- The consistency of the vegetables that you’re looking for is cooked with a slight crunch. Slightly cook with more crunch will end up overpowering the dish. Especially the carrots, they will overpower this dish very quickly.
- Salts. I used two salts with this dish. Kosher salt to cook and a fine grind Himalayan salt for seasoning after plating.
- If you like it a little spicy, a Sprinkle of shichimi togarashi kicks it up and adds really nice flavor.