Dotonbori Imai Honten
One of Dotonbori's oldest udon restaurants; the kitsune udon recipe has been unchanged since the 1940s; dashi is simmered in a 70-year-old clay pot.
Order: ['Kitsune udon', 'Kakiage tempura udon', 'Ankake udon (winter)']
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 2 portions fresh or frozen udon noodles
- 1.2L ichiban dashi (kombu and katsuobushi)
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce (usukuchi)
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 2 sheets aburaage (fried tofu skin)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sugar (for simmering aburaage)
- Spring onion to garnish
Method
- Make ichiban dashi: steep kombu in cold water 30 min, heat to 60C, remove kombu, bring to 80C, add katsuobushi, steep 3 min, strain.
- Simmer aburaage in soy, mirin, and sugar for 5 minutes until sweet and glossy; set aside.
- Season dashi with usukuchi soy and mirin; taste for a clean, pale, and lightly salted broth.
- Cook udon noodles per packet; drain and divide between two bowls.
- Pour hot dashi over noodles, place one aburaage sheet on top, and garnish with spring onion.
Tip from the editors. The Osaka dashi ratio is 1:8 kombu to water for the first steep; the kombu must be removed before boiling or the broth becomes bitter.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat kitsune udon
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