michelle picker cooks

Udon (うどん) are thick wheat flour noodles commonly used in Japanese cuisine. In Korea they’re called udong-myeon (우동면). I bought fresh noodles but there are excellent dry and frozen options available. Kimchi and bacon provide a punch of flavour in this quick and tasty meal from Sue of My Korean Kitchen,

First make the sauce by combining 1 tablespoon of Korean chilli (gochugaru), ½ a tablespoon of Korean chilli paste (gochujang), 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of raw sugar, a small minced clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar (optional) for extra tang. Boil the udon noodles (according to instructions on the pack), ideally not long before you intend to fry them so they don’t stick together. Drain and set aside. Heat a large frypan over medium/high heat and then add a little cooking oil. Fry 120g (4¼ oz) of bacon cut into slivers and cook for a few minutes. Add 1 sliced onion and fry briefly before adding 1 cup of chopped aged kimchi. Cook for a few minutes then add the sauce and mix well. Add the udon noodles and mix through. Add 30g (1 oz) of thinly sliced green onions and stir briefly. Serve the noodles garnished with all or some of the following: a fried egg, ground black pepper, sliced green onions, sesame seeds, strips of toasted seaweed.