Yakisoba (Japanese Stir-Fried Noodles)

Yakisoba is a classic Japanese stir-fried noodle dish with pork and vegetables that’s seasoned with a sweet and savory sauce similar to Worcestershire sauce.

Ingredients

• ½ onion
• 1 carrot
• 3 shiitake mushrooms
• 2 green onions/scallions
• 4 cabbage leaves
• ¾ lb sliced pork belly ((or your choice of meat/seafood/mushrooms/veggies))
• 2 Tbsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, rice bran, canola, etc.)
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 servings yakisoba noodles ((one package of pre-steamed noodles contains 3 servings, 16-17 oz or 454-480 g))
• 4-6 Tbsp yakisoba sauce ((recipe below))
• 4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 4 tsp oyster sauce ((if you're allergic to shellfish, or if you're vegetarian, use Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce))
• 4 tsp ketchup
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar ((add more sugar, if needed))
• aonori (dried green laver seaweed)
• pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga)

Instructions

0. Gather all the ingredients.
1. To Make the Yakisoba Sauce
2. Whisk together all the ingredients for the Yakisoba Sauce. It's important to taste the sauce and see if you need to add more sugar. For example, some ketchup is sweeter than others while some Worcestershire sauce is less sour than others. Set it aside.
3. To Make the Yakisoba
4. Slice the onion, cut the carrot into julienne strips, and slice the shiitake mushrooms.
5. Chop the green onions into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, cut the cabbage into bite-sized pieces, and cut the meat into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.
6. In a skillet or wok, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Cook the meat until it's no longer pink.
7. Add the onions and carrots and cook for 1-2 minutes.
8. Add the cabbage and cook until it's almost tender.
9. Lastly, add the green onions and shiitake mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
10. Transfer the yakisoba noodles to a sieve and quickly run hot water over the noodles. Loosen the noodles with your hands. Add the noodles to the skillet or wok and lower the heat to medium. It’s best to use tongs to combine the noodles and ingredients. Keep an eye on the noodles as they may stick to the skillet/wok.
11. Add the Yakisoba Sauce and mix it all together. Add more sauce if needed.
12. To Serve
13. Transfer the yakisoba to individual plates. Garnish with the dried green seaweed and pickled red ginger. Serve immediately.
14. To Store
15. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave to warm.