Sara Udon (Crispy Noodles with Seafood Thick Sauce)

Quick answer

Total time: 40 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 16

About this dish

Sara udon is a Nagasaki noodle dish in which a hot, thickened stir-fry of pork, shrimp, squid, and vegetables is poured over fine crispy noodles arranged on a plate.

Pork cooks first, followed by carrot, cabbage, shrimp, and squid; kamaboko, bean sprouts, and shiitake are added afterward so their textures remain distinct. Water, soy sauce, chicken stock powder, and potato starch form a glossy sauce that settles between the brittle strands. The dish was created in 1899 by Chin Heijun of the Shikairo restaurant as a brothless version of chanpon. Nagasaki residents distinguish the original thick-noodle style from the more recent fine crispy style. This recipe follows the latter, so the sauce is poured on only at serving time to preserve contrast between crisp noodles and soft topping.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
pork	100	g
carrot	30	g
cabbage	120	g
kamaboko fish cake	30	g
bean sprouts	100	g
fresh shiitake	3	ea
peeled shrimp	100	g
cleaned squid	100	g
packaged Nagasaki sara udon fried noodles	2	piece
salt	0.5	tsp
ground pepper	0.25	tsp
neutral cooking oil	1	tbsp
soy sauce	2	tsp
chicken stock powder	2.5	tsp
water	400	ml
potato starch	2	tbsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Season

Cut the pork, carrot, cabbage, kamaboko, shiitake, and cleaned squid into bite-size pieces.

Rinse and drain the bean sprouts and shrimp, then season the pork evenly with half the salt and pepper.
2

Season

Combine the water, soy sauce, chicken stock powder, and potato starch in a bowl while cold, stirring until no starch lumps remain.
3

Control

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and stir-fry the pork.

When no red remains on the outside, add the carrot, cabbage, shrimp, and squid and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
4

Heat

Add the kamaboko, bean sprouts, and shiitake and stir-fry until the sprouts bend slightly but remain crisp.

Stir the soup mixture again so the starch is fully suspended.
5

Season

Pour the soup mixture into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the bottom.

Cook until glossy and thick enough for a spatula trail to remain briefly, with pork at least 75°C in the center and shrimp and squid opaque. Season with the remaining salt and pepper.
6

Finish

Place one packaged fried noodle portion on each of two plates and loosen only the tightly compressed sections.

Pour half the hot thick sauce over each immediately, before the noodles sit and soften completely.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Packaged Nagasaki sara udon fried noodles go directly onto the plates in this home recipe.
Finish cue: Cook until glossy and thick enough for a spatula trail to remain briefly, with pork at least 75°C in the center and shrimp and squid opaque.