Chilled udon noodles with sesame vinaigrette

Masaki Sugisaki’s chilled udon noodles with sesame vinaigrette turn simple ingredients into a refined Japanese noodle bowl. Handmade udon is served cold with a creamy goma ponzu dressing, crisp aonori tempura flakes and fresh spring onions, creating a light, savoury, umami-rich vegetarian dish with optional chilli heat.

This chilled udon noodle recipe scores Nutri-Score C. The handmade udon and tahini provide fibre and plant protein, while sesame oil and deep-fried tempura flakes add fat and energy. Miso, soy sauce and salt raise the sodium content, so enjoy this sesame vinaigrette noodle bowl as a balanced vegetarian main rather than an everyday meal.

Estimated nutrition per serving, excluding optional chilli oil: approximately 690 kcal, 31g fat, 4g saturates, 85g carbohydrates, 17g sugars, 4g fibre, 15g protein and 3.2g salt.

Method

Make the udon dough – 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes resting

1. Make the brine. Dissolve the sea salt completely in 155ml water. This seasoned brine hydrates the 00 flour evenly and helps the udon develop its satisfyingly chewy texture.
2. Bring the dough together. Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the brine, then gently flick the surrounding flour over the liquid without pressing down.
3. Mix with your fingertips. Using your fingertips rather than your palms, mix the flour and brine in quick circular movements. Keep your fingers pointing downwards like a rake and continue until the mixture resembles small, even crumbs with no powdery flour left.
4. Form a dough. Press the mixture firmly together with both hands until it becomes one solid piece of udon dough. It may feel shaggy at this stage, which is exactly what you want.

Develop and rest the dough – 4 hours 30 minutes

5. Flatten the dough. Place the dough in a thick, food-safe plastic bag. Slowly step on it with your body weight to flatten it, then remove it from the bag and fold it back into a ball. This traditional kneading method develops the gluten without overworking the dough.
6. Rest the dough. Repeat the flattening and folding process once more, then return the dough to the bag and leave it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Use this time to make the sesame vinaigrette.
7. Repeat and rest again. Flatten and fold the dough again, then leave it in the bag for 2 hours. This longer rest makes the udon dough noticeably smoother and easier to roll.
8. Flatten for the final rest. Step on the dough once more to flatten it, keeping it flat rather than rolling it back into a ball. Return it to the bag and rest it for at least another 2 hours; you can prepare the dough in advance and let it rest until you are ready to cook.

Roll and cut the noodles – 20 minutes

9. Roll the dough. Use a rolling pin or a pasta machine to roll the rested dough into sheets 2–3mm thick. Work gradually through the settings if using a machine, dusting lightly with tapioca starch to prevent sticking.
10. Cut the udon. Dust the dough generously with tapioca starch, then fold the sheet to make cutting easier. Use a sharp knife to cut 5mm-wide strips, or use the tagliatelle cutter on the pasta machine for even noodles.
11. Separate the noodles. Dust the cut udon noodles generously with tapioca starch, then gently shake off any excess. Loosening them now stops them clumping together in the boiling water.

Cook and chill the udon – 10 minutes

12. Boil the noodles. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add the cider vinegar. Add the fresh udon noodles and boil for 4 minutes, until they are tender but still pleasantly chewy.
13. Refresh in iced water. Drain the noodles immediately, then transfer them to iced water. This rapid cooling stops the cooking, rinses away surface starch and gives chilled udon its clean, springy bite.

Blend the sesame vinaigrette – 5 minutes

14. Blend the dressing. Add the mirin, rice vinegar, water, tahini, shiro miso, sesame oil, caster sugar, soy sauce and cayenne pepper to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, then set the creamy goma ponzu vinaigrette aside while you make the tempura flakes.

Fry the tempura flakes – 15 minutes

15. Mix a light batter. Whisk the cold water, tempura flour and aonori seaweed in a bowl. Keep the batter roughly mixed rather than completely smooth; a few small lumps create lighter, crispier tempura flakes.
16. Heat the oil. Heat vegetable oil in a deep heavy-based pan to 180C. Check the temperature with a cooking thermometer before frying.
17. Fry until crisp. Carefully drizzle the batter into the hot oil and fry until the bubbling stops. Remove the aonori tempura flakes with a slotted spoon and drain them on kitchen paper.
18. Stay safe. Hot oil can be dangerous. Never leave it unattended, keep children and pets away from the pan, and let the oil cool fully before disposing of it safely.

Assemble and serve – 5 minutes

19. Build the bowls. Pour the goma ponzu vinaigrette into four serving bowls. Add the chilled udon noodles, then scatter over the crisp tempura flakes and sliced spring onions.
20. Add optional heat. Finish each bowl with a drizzle of chilli oil, if using, and serve immediately while the tempura flakes remain wonderfully crisp.