“Cook something that suits the weather,” is the message. If I did that, I would have to braise a boiled beef to death until it was gray. So rather the opposite. Something flattering, enveloping the senses, warmth and Feeling of well-being delivering.
What with Udon fits perfectly there. Udon, these are these thick Japanese wheat noodles. In Asian stores you can usually find them frozen, nicely portioned, a ball for each person. The pasta is the exact opposite of “al dente”. There’s no bite here, they’re soft and a tiny bit rubbery. Actually perfect for slurping, if it weren’t for the creamy sauce that’s guaranteed to ruin any sweater or blouse. So it’s best to eat them with a fork.
Of course, in Japan there isn’t just one udon; depending on the region, they are thicker or thinner. In the Nagoya region they are almost as flat as tagliatelle. They all have a high proportion of wheat gluten and a higher salt content compared to other noodles.
Along with the honey and the Korean Gochujang Paste (a really great and indispensable fermented paste – a bit like miso with chili), this is a quick after-work dish with make-my-day potential.
If you want the dish to be a little more “suitable for the evening”, use chicken breast instead of the boneless chicken legs.
Creamy chicken udon with Korean gochujang, lime and honey
For two
1 tbsp olive oil
20g butter
300 g meat from chicken leg without skin and bones
Sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, pressed
2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
2 tablespoons lime juice and a zest of an untreated lime
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp liquid honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
80 ml each of cream and water
400 g fresh udon noodles (if not fresh then frozen from the Asian store)
Decorate: 1 spring onion, the green part cut into rolls, 2-3 tablespoons of fried onions, a few leaves of fresh coriander
Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and olive oil in a pan and fry the chicken for about 5 minutes.
Remove from the pan, but do not wipe the pan afterwards.
Add the onion and sauté over medium heat for a few minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of water to loosen the sediment.
In a bowl, mix the garlic, gochujang, lime juice and zest, tomato paste, honey, soy sauce and sesame oil and add to the onions. Stirring constantly, let the sauce caramelize a little until it is slightly darker. Add the chicken again. Add the cream and water and let the sauce reduce a little.
In the meantime, prepare the udon according to the package instructions. Mix the finished pasta with the sauce and the meat.
Divide between bowls and sprinkle with plenty of roasted onions and some coriander. Serve immediately.
