Ready in an instant

If you have a packet of noodles in the cupboard, a satisfying meal isn't far away.

Satisfying suppers don’t come much cheaper than a quick soup made from instant noodles combined with some home-made dashi stock and whatever left­overs are lurking in the fridge. If questioned on the authenticity of my recipes, I could call them modern Japanese cooking, for these are simplified versions of classic dishes given a Western touch, but really, who cares?

In Tokyo noodle bars, I have slurped long, slippery udon noodles from dark, curious broths while terrific jazz played in the background. I have watched closely as the chefs pulled lengths of creamy noodles from saucepans of viciously boiling water made cloudy from the starch of the noodles, then divided them between serving bowls, ladling hot broth over the top and filling the bowls with various savoury ingredients. It’s an indoor version of street food, and it is this experience I want to re-create at home, only without the Japanese minimalism and exotic authenticity.

The noisy slurping that traditionally goes along with eating a bowl of noodles may be offputting, but it is necessary. When you breathe in at the same as time as you suck in the noodles, air passes over them, enhancing the flavour of the broth and cooling the noodles. I can attest that a fat noodle retains a lot of heat, as I once got a severely blistered lip because I didn’t engage in this practice.

I generally avoid having anything “instant” in my larder, but I do keep packets of Japanese noodles for that perfect quick meal. Udon noodles are the white, squiggly and partially cooked ones that swell satisfactorily in a bowl of hot broth. They come wrapped in a convenient package that includes the sachets of seaweed and dashi granules required to make a quick but basic broth. All these recipes use this as a base. Dashi granules are also available at Asian food stores.

Somen are a fragile supermodel of a noodle: thin, pale, elegant and expensive. They come bound in black paper or ribbon.

Dusty brown soba, which have a nutty taste, are made from buckwheat flour. They are traditionally served cold – I dress them with a sauce made from sesame oil, soy and mirin, and serve under paper-thin slices of raw tuna or salmon.

Ramen, the most popular, are known by most of us as the pressed squares of dried yellow, crinkled noodles that usually come with a packet of powdered chicken stock. They can often be found in office kitchenettes. Wikipedia tells me they were invented in 1958 by Momofuku Ando. In a Japanese poll, ramen were named the greatest ­Japanese invention of the 20th century – they clearly take their noodles seriously.

I have used udon noodles for the following recipes, but feel free to use whatever you prefer. It’s easy to overcook instant noodles, so try to keep them ­”al dente”. Wishing you long life and happiness.

Dashi base

300ml water

a walnut-sized piece of fresh ginger

To make the dashi, pour the water into a saucepan, then add the dashi granules. Peel the ginger, cut into matchsticks, then add to the pan. Simmer the broth for 5 minutes, then strain.

I used the rough end of some leftover cooked pork belly for this recipe, but shredded cooked chicken will work just as well.

Udon Noodles with Pork belly, Shiitake Mushrooms, Bok Choy and Soft-Boiled Egg

300ml dashi base

2 spring onions

Pour the dashi into a saucepan, then add the shiitake mushrooms, mirin and soy and simmer for 5 minutes. Cut the pork into 3cm cubes, then add. Wash the bok choy, pull the leaves off the stem and add them to the saucepan – they should cook quickly. Put the noodles into a saucepan of boiling water and cook for 4 minutes, then drain and divide them between 2 large soup bowls. Cut the soft-boiled ­eggs in half and tuck them next to the noodles. Place the pork, tofu, shiitake mushrooms and bok choy in the bowls, then ladle on the broth. Finely slice the spring onions, then sprinkle over the top.

Enough for 2.

I Use Chorizo sausages for the thermal lift they bring. I found the golden straw mushrooms, known as enokitake, at my supermarket, but a handful of thinly sliced button mushrooms will work just as well. Use your instincts to help you decide what to include in the soup.

Udon Noodles with Spiced Sausage, Spinach, Enokitake Mushrooms and Lemon

300ml dashi base

2 pieces of lemon peel

Put the dashi base into a saucepan with the soy and sake, then bring to a gentle simmer. Put the noodles into a saucepan of boiling water and cook for 4 minutes, then drain. While the broth simmers, slice the sausage thinly, then add to the saucepan with the drained noodles. Shred the spinach leaves, then add to the broth. Trim and discard the ends off the enokitake mushrooms, then break the long mushroom stalks into the broth. Add the lemon peel. Simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to deepen. Divide the vegetables and meat between 2 deep soup bowls, then fill with the broth. Add a piece of peel to each bowl and serve.

Enough for 2.

Here’s A comforting, nourishing soup that is easy on the tummy if you are feeling a bit under the weather.

Udon Noodles with Vegetables and Spring Onions

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Put the dashi base, soy and sake into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Put the noodles into a saucepan of boiling water, cook for 4 minutes, then drain. Add the mushrooms to the broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Peel the carrots and turnips. Add them to the broth and cook for 5 minutes. Wash the bok choy, then pull off the leaves and add to the broth. Divide the noodles between 2 bowls, top with the tofu and vegetables, then ladle on the broth. Garnish with spring onion.

Enough for 2.