Udon is a type of thick wheat-based noodle popular in Japanese cuisine.
Udon is usually served hot as noodle soup in a mildly flavored broth and topped with thinly chopped scallions. Other common toppings include tempura, often shrimp or deep-fried tofu pockets seasoned with sugar and soy sauce.
Ingredients
4 ounces (about 2 cups packed) spinach, coarse stems removed and leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips
8 ounces dried udon noodles
6 cups dashi
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 ounce (about 4) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
8 littleneck clams, scrubbed
4 ounces (about 12) small shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied
2 scallions (white and green parts), cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
Boil noodles in same water until just tender, following package instructions. Drain and transfer to 4 warmed bowls.
Directions
1. In medium saucepan combine dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. Bring to simmer, then add chicken, mushrooms, clams, and shrimp. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, mushrooms are tender, clams open, and shrimp are opaque, about 5 minutes.
2. Divide vegetables between bowls atop noodles, then ladle hot broth, chicken, mushrooms, clams, and shrimp.
