Handmade Udon Noodles from Scratch

Ingredients

• 2 cups Bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 0.75 cup Water
• 1.5 tsp Salt
• 1 4-inch piece Kombu (dried kelp)
• 1 cup Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
• 3 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Mirin
• 2 Green onions
• 0.25 cup Cornstarch (for dusting)(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Dissolve salt in water. Add to flour and stir until shaggy, then knead 10 minutes into a stiff dough. Wrap and rest 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Knead dough 5 more minutes, then place it in a large bag and stomp on it with your feet for 5 minutes to develop gluten. Fold, rest 15 minutes, and stomp once more.

3. 3

   Roll dough to about 3mm thick on a cornstarch-dusted surface, fold like a letter, and cut into 4-5mm wide strips. Shake apart and dust with cornstarch.

4. 4

   Make the broth: simmer kombu in 3 cups water for 10 minutes, remove kombu, add katsuobushi, steep 3 minutes, and strain. Stir in soy sauce and mirin.

5. 5

   Boil udon in plenty of water for 10-12 minutes until chewy and cooked through, then drain and rinse.

6. 6

   Divide noodles into bowls, pour hot dashi-soy broth over, and top with sliced green onions. Serve immediately.