Cold Udon (Chilled Noodles with Mentsuyu Dipping Broth)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 20 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Naeng udon is a Japanese cold noodle dish where thick udon is cooked, drained, and then cooled aggressively in ice water before being served in chilled mentsuyu broth.
Read more
The broth is prepared by diluting concentrated mentsuyu with cold water at a ratio of one to two, then refrigerating it until well chilled, which produces a clean liquid dense with soy-based umami. Cooling the noodles completely in ice water is not optional: the cold firms the starch back up, restoring the springy, slightly resistant chew that defines good udon. Freshly grated daikon stirred into the broth contributes a mild peppery heat and a cooling edge that lightens the overall flavor. Thinly sliced scallion adds a bright green freshness, and a sheet of nori brings oceanic depth to what might otherwise be a simple dipping liquid. A small amount of wasabi dissolved into the broth delivers a sharp nasal sting that contrasts directly with the cold temperature, leaving a clean, bracing finish on the palate. The dish is best eaten quickly while everything stays cold, and it comes together from pantry staples in minutes, making it one of the most practical summer meals.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Mix 120 ml mentsuyu base with 240 ml cold water, then taste the strength.
If your bottle lists a different dilution ratio, adjust before chilling it in the refrigerator until very cold.
- 2Prep
Grate 80 g daikon finely and drain only the excess liquid so it stays moist.
Slice 20 g scallion thinly, and tear the nori just before serving so it keeps its aroma.
- 3Control
Bring a generous pot of water to a full boil, then add 400 g udon noodles.
Cook over medium heat for the package time, checking that the center is soft but still pleasantly chewy.
- 4Heat
Drain the cooked noodles in a sieve and rinse immediately under cold water, rubbing them gently.
Keep rinsing until the surface starch washes off and the noodles no longer feel overly slippery.
- 5Step
Soak the rinsed noodles in ice water for 1 to 2 minutes so they cool all the way through.
When they feel firm and springy, drain thoroughly to avoid watering down the broth.
- 6Finish
Place the drained noodles in a bowl and serve the chilled mentsuyu broth alongside.
Add grated daikon, scallion, nori, and 1/2 tsp wasabi, then serve immediately while the noodles and broth are still cold.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Thick udon aggressively cooled in ice water and served with chilled mentsuyu dipping broth.
- Finish cue
- Cook over medium heat for the package time, checking that the center is soft but still pleasantly chewy.
- Avoid this
- When they feel firm and springy, drain thoroughly to avoid watering down the broth.
- Storage and reheating
- The broth is prepared by diluting concentrated mentsuyu with cold water at a ratio of one to two, then refrigerating it until well chilled, which produces a clean liquid dense with soy-based umami.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
20min, 7 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 233 recipes
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