Come and Experience the Local Food Culture of UDON HOUSE

After graduating from university, Harada worked at a tourism agency. A few years ago she was assigned to a regional development project in Mitoyo city and made numerous business trips. She says, with each visit she became intrigued with the rich culture of udon that was very much a part of the region.

The facility is a restored 80 year old traditional Japanese house. Before the restoration the house was vacant. Now it is a clean space where traditional charm remains. Every now and then some pilgrims on the famous Ohenro pilgrimage walk by the house. Visitors from around the world travel here to learn the real way to make udon, Kagawa’s soul food. We are here to find out more about Sanuki udon.

The ingredients used to make udon noodles are very simple. There are only 3 ingredients: flour, water, and salt.

Add the flour, salt, and water to a bowl, and mix thoroughly. It is very important to mix in air when making the dough. The mixture starts out quite dry, but it gradually comes together to form the dough.

As the dough gradually comes together, pack the dough together using your fist. The well-combined dough is then folded and formed into a large ball. Set the udon dough aside for 20 to 30 minutes. Letting the dough rise removes any unevenness in the dough.

While the dough rested, we learned about the history of Sanuki udon and the odashi-jiru (broth). Dashi or Japanese broth is unique to Japanese food culture because you consume the broth that is extracted from the ingredient, not the ingredient itself. At UDON HOUSE you can drink each dashi made from these various ingredients, kombu (dried kelp), iriko (dried sardines), katsuo-bushi (dried bonito flakes), and zatsu-bushi (other dried fish). By comparing the different broths and noticing the differences in taste and aroma, you can truly experience the taste of umami.

The next step is to stomp on the udon dough. The gluten in the dough is improved through the pressure of stomping, giving the Sanuki udon noodles their signature chewy texture.  Stomp on the dough in a uniform way, applying your full body weight with the feet and pressing the toes towards the outer edge of the dough while turning around. The goal is for the dough to no longer collapse even when being stomped on.  The process of stamping the dough by foot was done by the women and children.

At the UDON HOUSE, they have bags used for stomping with a variety of designs so that guests using the bags to experience dough stomping can have even more fun.

Flip the dough so the underside faces the ceiling. Push down on the dough with both hands and use a rolling pin. Spread the round dough into a square shape. Forming the dough into a square will make the thickness of the noodles even and easier to cut. Make a cross in the dough and turn the dough at 45 degree angles. Roll the dough out at each quarter, this way of rolling is called kaku-dashi. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin, use your body weight when rolling the dough and make sure it is rolled all the way through.

A specialized knife is used for cutting the noodles. The knife has a spring mechanism that moves the blade along the cutting board as the knife is lifted. Cut the noodles to a steady rhythm to keep the width of the noodles even. Don’t forget to dust the blade with some flour, the noodles tend to stick to the blade.

These are the freshly cut noodles. We’ve come a long way from kneading the dough, the udon is finally ready!

The boiled noodles are usually rinsed in cold water. Even when noodles are served warm they are first rinsed in cold water and then placed in a hot soup. Rinsing the noodles in cold water stops the noodles from cooking any further, takes off slimy residue and makes them firm. The only exception is when udon is served kama-age style. Kama-age means straight from the pot, the udon is served in the water it was boiled in and dipped in sauce. There’s also Kama-tama, which is when the udon in hot water is served with a raw egg topping.

There are countless ways udon is consumed. There are so many variations that even Japanese have a hard time explaining. “Nama-shoyu is when soy sauce is poured on cold udon. If you dip it in sauce then it is called Zaru. Or the Bukkake, a tasty sauce is poured on the steaming hot udon. Kake-dashi is when you pour hot broth on the udon for a warm bowl of noodles. Atsu-atsu-bukkake is when you pour light shoyu and broth mixed with sugar and mirin on warm noodles. You can even add toppings like an egg or tempura. The variations are endless!” And at UDON HOUSE they are experimenting new styles, like adding butter and garlic oil to the Kama-tama.

“Sanuki Udon has had bursts of popularity so it is widely known around Japan. People know udon is delicious but I want people to know that making udon is a fun communal activity. It’s interesting to study about the history of udon and the many stories surrounding it. Come here, make udon and connect with people from around the world” she says with a smile. Their challenge has just begun. The more you know about “The world of Sanuki udon” the more interesting it gets. Visit Kagawa to discover your very own “udon”.