Yakisoba pan

Yakisoba pan is a quirky Japanese creation consisting of fried noodles stuffed in bread, specifically a hot dog roll or milk bun.

Credit: Alana Dimou

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

The story goes that a customer of Nozawaya in Tokyo asked for the combination in the 1950s, and the invention has lined the shelves of Japanese bakeries and konbini (convenience stores) ever since.

Ingredients

• 4 milk bread rolls (see Steps 1-5 here) or store-bought mini hot dog rolls
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter or margarine, softened
• beni shōga (pickled ginger), sliced, to serve

Yakisoba noodles (fried noodles)

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh Ramen noodles (see Steps 16-21 here)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, for frying
• 100 g (3½ oz) pork belly, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned
• ¼ cabbage, cut into square pieces

Yakisoba sauce

• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
• 1 tbsp akamiso (red miso paste)
• 1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sake
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. First, make the yakisoba sauce. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat and cook just long enough to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat and cook the noodles in the boiling water for 1–2 minutes (or follow the packet instructions if you are using store-bought noodles). Drain the noodles well.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Fry the pork until coloured, then add the onion and carrot and cook until softened. Add the cabbage, followed by the noodles. Fry until the cabbage begins to soften (it should still retain some crunch), then add 100 ml (3½ fl oz) yakisoba sauce to the pan. Toss the noodles to distribute the sauce evenly.
4. Split the bread rolls in half and spread with butter. Divide the fried noodles between the rolls and top with lots of pickled ginger. Serve immediately (though it also tastes fine cold).

 

Recipe from Tokyo Local by Caryn Liew and Brendan Liew, Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

The story goes that a customer of Nozawaya in Tokyo asked for the combination in the 1950s, and the invention has lined the shelves of Japanese bakeries and konbini (convenience stores) ever since.