Step 1

First, wash and prepare all the vegetables for your stir-fried udon. Shred the cabbage into thick strips, and slice the onion similarly. For the oyster mushrooms, trim the tough stem and tear them into bite-sized pieces or slice them. Separate the leaves and stems of the bok choy and cut them. If you prefer some heat, remove the seeds from the chili peppers and slice them diagonally.

For the stir-fried udon sauce, combine 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 1-2 Tbsp oyster sauce, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, and 1/2-1 Tbsp gochugaru in a small bowl and mix well. You can adjust the amount of soy sauce or oyster sauce depending on their saltiness and your personal preference.

Tip: Blanching the oyster mushrooms or bok choy briefly before cooking can enhance their crispness and tenderness.

Step 2

Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a generous amount of brown rice oil or vegetable oil. Add 1 Tbsp of minced garlic and sauté slowly over low heat until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic; the key is to cook it until a gentle aroma is released.

Step 3

Once the garlic is fragrant, add all the prepared vegetables except for the bok choy to the pan. Stir-fry quickly over high heat until the vegetables are slightly softened but still retain some crispness. This helps to preserve the natural crunch of the vegetables.

Feel free to use a variety of vegetables! Any vegetables you have in your fridge, such as zucchini, carrots, bell peppers, or other mushrooms, will work well. Adding bean sprouts will give it a more exotic flavor.

Step 4

When the vegetables are partially cooked, add half of the prepared stir-fried udon sauce (approximately 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce, 0.5-1 Tbsp oyster sauce, etc.) to the pan and stir-fry quickly with the vegetables. Ensure the sauce coats the vegetables evenly. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes to allow the ingredients to meld their flavors.

Step 5

When you lift the lid, you’ll notice a light broth has formed from the vegetables. This vegetable broth plays a crucial role in making the overall flavor of the stir-fried udon deep and rich. Stir-frying it briefly over high heat can further concentrate the flavors.

Step 6

Now, add the 2 servings of udon noodles you prepared earlier to the pan. Pour the remaining half of the stir-fried udon sauce over the noodles. Increase the heat to medium and stir-fry, using chopsticks or tongs to separate the noodles, until they are well coated with the sauce. This ensures the noodles absorb the sauce thoroughly.

Step 7

Once the udon noodles are well combined with the sauce and heated through, add the sliced bok choy and stir-fry once more briefly. Bok choy can become mushy if overcooked, so the key is to stir-fry it just until it wilts slightly, maintaining its crisp texture.

Step 8

When the bok choy has slightly wilted, turn off the heat. Finally, drizzle with a little sesame oil and sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds. Mix well. The delicious stir-fried udon is now complete, enhanced by the nutty aroma of sesame oil and the crunchy texture of sesame seeds. Enjoy it while it’s hot!