Teuchi-udon (Udon noodles)

Ingredients (serves 5): 5 cups (1.1lb/500g) wheat flour (churikiko) *NB: Some extra flour is needed to use in the cooking process. 1 cup (6.76 floz/200ml) water *spring/autumn 1 +1/5 tbsps (18g) salt *spring/autumn Sea salt / Common salt (pure salt is good) *Salt-water mixture - the amount and density varies depending on the season summer: 190ml water plus 21g salt winter: 215ml water plus 15g salt Tools: Bowl: Diameter 30-50cm (the bigger, the easier to use) Weighing scales: for 1kg-3kg weights Rolling pin 1 heavy plastic bag Breadboard (a family-sized table can be used instead) Chopping board Knife (vegetable-cutting knife) Large saucepan (the largest pan you have) Sieve
Cooking Directions: 1. Mixing: Pour the wheat flour into a mixing bowl. Add the salt-water mixture. Begin by slowly pulling up the mixture, gently mixing the water into the flour.
2. Mixing, kneading: Spread your fingers out in the shape of a fork and mix the flour, water and air together. Repeat until sufficiently mixed. The objective is to make dough with the same feel as that of your earlobe.
3. Put the mixture in a thick plastic bag and place it on a protective sheet (ex. a newspaper) on the floor.
4. Press the mixture by treading upon it with the heels of your feet and turn around so as to tread over all of it.
5. Then make the flattened mixture into a ball, repeat treading and ball-making 2-3 times.
6. The next step is to ferment the ball-shaped mixture in the plastic bag. In summer, this takes around 30 minutes-1 hour, in spring or autumn, 1-2 hours and in winter, 2-3 hours.
7. Hand rolling: Roll out the mixture on the breadboard. The 1st time, to maintain the thickness, lightly spread out the mixture with the rolling pin. Apply your weight whilst rolling out the folds. After spreading out the mixture, turn the rolling pin 90 degrees and spread out the mixture in the other direction. Add flour to its surface. Whilst rolling out the mixture, with your hands first in the center, gradually move them to the ends of the rolling pin. Repeat this 3 or 4 times until the dough becomes flat and approximately 3-4 mm thick. (At this point, make sure both sides are sufficiently covered with flour. This is so it does not stick when cutting). With the mixture on the top of the chopping board, fold it over on itself 3 or 4 times and then pull the rolling pin out from the side.
8. Cutting with the knife: Cut with a knife at 3-4 mm intervals. Hold the knife at right angles to the mixture, and cut the noodles by moving the knife in a vertical direction downwards. Once you have cut the noodles, with both hands, carefully brush off the excess flour.
9. Boiling and washing with water: Using the biggest pan you have (the bigger, the better), boil the water. Only add the noodles when the water has completely come to the boil, and you can hear the bubbles. The noodles will come to the surface (under a strong heat), stir them using long chopsticks. After 8-12 minutes, the noodles will become more transparent.
10. Straight after you have removed the noodles at this point and drained the hot water, wash them in water. Quickly wash the noodles in cold water with your hands. (This is to remove the excess slimy coating that has formed on the noodles from the hand rolling step).
Serving Hint: Zaru Udon The noodles are removed with a sieve, and are washed in a bowl of water to remove any residue from their surface. Then, they are piled up on a zaru (traditional serving dish similar to a sieve) and are eaten together with bonito-based dipping sauce, spices, leek and wasabi (Japanese horseradish).
Japanese Liquid Measures: 1 cup = 200ml = 6.76 fl oz 1 tablespoon = 15ml = 0.5 fl oz 1 teaspoon = 5ml = 0.16 fl oz