Udon

Udon are thick and chewy Japanese noodles made from wheat flour. The noodles are round in shape and they have a firm and chewy texture. In their simplest form, udon noodles are served in kake udon, a noodle soup with a broth made with soy sauce, dashi, and mirin. Although kake udon is served hot, the noodles can also be served in a cold broth, usually during the warmer seasons. The toppings for udon are also seasonal, and they include tempura-battered vegetables, shrimps, sliced spring onions, fried tofu, or rice cakes. When served, udon noodles are picked up with chopsticks, then slurped down loudly. Udon dishes can be found in specialized udon-ya restaurants, buffet-style restaurants, and local eateries. There are numerous regional varieties of these noodles, which differ in size and thickness.