Kake udon

Method

1. 1 Soak kombu in 900 ml of cold water for 30 minutes, then simmer until the water boils and remove the kombu.
2. 2 Remove the kombu before the water boils; boiling the kombu results in a slimy broth with a strong, fishy smell.
3. 3 Add the dried flounder, then turn off the heat immediately and let it soak for 3 minutes, then drain through a cloth.
4. 4 Season the broth with light soy sauce, mirin, and salt to maintain its light yellow color.
5. 5 Kake udon only has noodles, broth, and green onions; and if the broth is bad, there's nothing to cover it up.
6. 6 Boil the udon noodles for 10 minutes, then blanch them in hot water and pour in the broth, then sprinkle with green onions.

With an appliance

• Microwave 27 min

  Replace the heating step in step 1: after soaking the kombu, turn the bowl of water on 700 W for 6 minutes, then remove the kombu as soon as small bubbles appear at the edges of the water; allow about 3 minutes for heating and avoid constantly monitoring the pot for boiling. In step 3, continue to let the dried flounder sit at room temperature for 3 minutes to clarify the broth.