Japanese yakisoba is like the queen of Asian fried noodles. This is mainly due to the seasoning sauce, which gives the dish an incredible complexity. One of the most important – and at first glance perhaps unusual – ingredients for this is Worcester (shire) sauce. Together with soya sauce, vegan oyster sauce, ketchup and mirin, it gives the Japanese fried noodles sweetness, spiciness, acidity, saltiness and full-bodied umami. As the flavour is very difficult to put into words, you should simply try it out for yourself.
Incidentally, yakisoba translates as ‘fried buckwheat’. Nowadays, however, buckwheat noodles are generally no longer used, but noodles made from wheat. For example, ramen noodles or conventional Chinese wheat noodles. In any case, yakisoba is ubiquitous in Japan. As an instant product in the supermarket, as street food at open stalls or in teppanyaki restaurants, where you can simply prepare the noodles yourself on a hot plate at the table. We understand why.
Vegan Yakisoba – Japanese Fried Noodles
Ingredients
- 250 g ramen noodles, or Chinese wheat noodles
- 175 g vegan chicken, or tofu
- 1 carrot
- 150 g pointed cabbage
- 3 shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 spring onion
- 1/4 sheet nori seaweed
- 20 g red pickled ginger, optional
- neutral vegetable oil
Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp vegan Worcester sauce
- 2 tbsp vegan oyster sauce, or Asian mushroom sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp mirin, or rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
Preparation
- Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, drain and rinse in cold water.
- Cut the carrot, pointed cabbage and mushrooms into thin strips. Cut the spring onion into thin rings. Cut the nori sheet into thin strips with scissors or grind finely in a food processor. Mix the ingredients for the sauce.
- Cut the vegan chicken or tofu in pieces and fry with a dash of vegetable oil over a medium to high heat until brown on all sides. Remove from the pan. Add the carrot, cabbage, mushrooms and the white part of the spring onion to the pan with another dash of vegetable oil and fry for 1-2 minutes. Deglaze with the sauce. Add the noodles and vegan meat/tofu and heat everything briefly, mixing well.
- Serve the fried noodles sprinkled with sesame seeds, ginger, the green part of the spring onion and nori.
Song of the recipe:
Lamp is a Japanese indie band that is strongly influenced by music from the 60s. Brazilian bossa nova meets Simon & Garfunkel influences, for example.
(Would you like to listen to all the songs for the recipe? Find them collected in one playlist here)
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