One-Pot Sliced Pork Udon
I made this impromptu one-pot sliced pork udon using available ingredients in the kitchen. These days, no planning is the best plan! My pot contains thinly sliced pork (shabu shabu cut), maitake mushroom, napa cabbage, carrot and chewy udon. Just put everything together in a wide and shallow casserole and simmer with an instant dashi soup pack! This makes a great one-pot meal for one, but you can also add more sliced pork as a sharing dish on the table.
See Also:
- 20-Minute Beef Udon
- Seafood Udon Noodle Soup
- Cold Lime Udon
- Chicken Udon Noodle Soup
- Udon Noodle Soup with Pork
- More Easy Japanese Recipes
STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS (One-Pot Sliced Pork Udon)
This is an optional step. Recently my taste buds changed, and I became slightly more sensitive to unmarinated meat. So, if you want to, spread out the shabu shabu sliced pork and drizzle ginger juice & sake. Let it sit for 5 minutes. This works well to remove any strong smell from the meat.
In a wide and shallow casserole (such as a Japanese nabe or a claypot), line the base of the pot with cut napa cabbage (the white, non-leafy portion).
Add and arrange cut leafy napa cabbage, maitake mushroom, shabu shabu pork and sliced carrots) in the pot. Place an instant dashi soup pack over the shabu shabu meat.
Add water. Once the water starts boiling (pictured above), close the lid and simmer the contents for 2 minutes.
After 2 minutes, the contents are bubbling away. Skim the surface of the soup to remove all the scum. Discard the dashi soup pouch.
Next, add frozen udon into the casserole. Transfer the cooked shabu shabu pork on top of the udon, to avoid overcooking the meat (pictured above). After this, cover with lid and boil for 2-3 minutes (according to udon package recommended cooking time).
My chewy texture of the udon is perfectly done in 2 minutes!
While casserole is still hot, add a piece of coral lettuce to the hot soup. Garnish the sliced pork with sprinkled 7-spice powder and chopped spring onion. Prepare a saucer of ponzu sauce dip with spring onions to dip the ingredients.
The lettuce is nicely softened by the time I tucked in. Itadakimasu!
One-Pot Sliced Pork Udon Noodles Recipe
To cook and serve this directly in the pot, I recommend a wide and shallow casserole such as a Japanese nabe or a traditional claypot. I am using a 1-litre metal claypot. Alternatively, you can use a regular soup pot, and ladle the noodles to serving bowl(s).
You can increase the shabu shabu sliced pork for sharing with 2 or more persons (alongside other side dishes) at the dinner table. Increase the ginger juice & sake accordingly.
Check out the step-by-step photos on the previous page.
Ingredients:
- 80g shabu shabu pork belly (thinly sliced pork belly)
- 1/2 tsp ginger juice
- 1/2 tsp sake (or sake cooking wine)
- 1 napa cabbage leaf separate white and leafy parts; coarsely cut to large pieces
- 4 thinly sliced carrots
- 60g of maitake mushroom separated to smaller bundles
- 1 instant dashi soup pouch see cooking note below
- 500ml water
- 1 bundle frozen udon see note
- 1 coral lettuce leaf
Garnishes
- Japanese 7-spice powder (nanami togarashi)
- chopped spring onions
- ponzu sauce
Directions:
- Optional step: Marinate the pork slices in ginger juice & sake for 5 minutes. You can skip this step if you are not sensitive to unmarinated meats.
- Arrange the ingredients in a casserole. Line the base of a wide and shallow pot with cut cabbage (white portion). Then add and arrange the remaining cabbage (leafy portion), carrot, mushroom & shabu shabu pork slices in the pot.
- Cook the ingredients. Place dashi soup pouch on top of the sliced pork and add water. Once the water boils, cover with lid and simmer for 2 minutes. Loosen the shabu shabu pork slices with chopsticks. Skim away the scum bubbling on the surface of the soup.
- Cook udon. Clear one half of the pot to add frozen udon. Place the shabu shabu pork on top of the udon to avoid overcooking. Cover with lid and simmer for about 2 minutes (or according to udon package instructions). Discard the dashi soup pouch.
- Serving suggestions. Garnish with green lettuce leaf while the soup is hot. Sprinkle 7-spice powder and chopped spring onions over the pork slices. Serve with a saucer of ponzu sauce & spring onions.
Cooking Note(s):
- This is the brand of instant dashi soup pack I am using. You can use any favourite brand that is suitable for roughly 500ml of water. You can also use instant dashi powder (to taste) or any preferred soup base.
- If you love your udon thick and chewy like those served at the restaurants, use frozen udon, specifically Sanuki frozen udon. There is no need to thaw, just put frozen udon into boiling water and cook according to timing on packaging (about 2 minutes).