It started on Sunday night. Number one son returned home after a month at overnight camp just as husband and daughter left on vacation with my mom and brother’s daughter (sounds like husband-of-the-year to me, eh?).
So I booked a babysitter and a dinner reservation. In deciding where to go for dinner, I thought, “What kind of food would Jake not have had at his Jewish camp?”
Asian noodles!
We drove twenty-some miles to Takashi, the eponymous restaurant of Takashi Yagihashi. Every Sunday is noodle night, so we each ordered a giant bowl of ramen (veg for me; pork for Jake) and shared a couple of starters (fried tofu and an octopus salad). Although I felt as stuffed as a gyoza, I caved in to sharing two desserts (a passionfruit panna cotta and a green tea shortbread). We talked about camp and baseball, and walked away so inspired by our noodle experience that I bought Takashi’s noodle book.
This week I’ve cooked three different noodle dishes. I didn’t have all the ingredients, but that’s never stopped me before.
On Monday we ate Chinese-inspired spicy noodles. I only had spaghetti (which Takashi includes in his book), so I boiled up some of that, added sesame oil, soy sauce, and a few squirts of a hot sauce that lost its label a couple years ago.
Tuesday was udon day. My local fancy grocery didn’t sell tofu (I’m not kidding) for cooking purposes, but featured fried sesame tofu in its deli. So I bought a pound of that, a package of nori (dried seaweed), and of course the dried udon. I whipped it up for lunch. Next time I’ll need more than miso paste to make the broth.
Wednesday fared better with soba. Again, I broke out the nori, soy sauce, and sesame oil. It worked, but I’m still missing the right broth. Still, Jake liked it so much, he asked for soba again the next day. So…
Thursday was soba day again.
I’m not sure what kind of noodles I’ll make tomorrow, but I think a trip to the Asian grocery is in store before I fire up the stove.
What is your favorite type of noodle? And how do you like to prepare it?
Please point me to the local Fun Factory near me, I just work in a Puzzle Palace.
I’m very partial to fried “flat rice stick” noodles, with a beef, black bean and capsicum sauce.
Oh, and Laksa… and Rossejat de fideos.
Right I’d settle for the instant noodles we used to get in field rations, but that could be because I’m having a late lunch.
Not terribly surprised there wasn’t any Asian Pork noodles at Jake’s camp, though.
Funny about the pork noodles! I also like flat rick stick noodles. Do you make your own black bean sauce? I could have used some when I made bitter melon last week.
No, I don’t make my own, I use a packet of the Lee Kum Kee brand one – it’s a lot more consistent and reliable.
Sometimes I just can’t be buggered endlessly fiddling with things, I just want to eat!
Beef Chow fun. Terrible for you, full of grease and calories, but so yummy. And hey, you know what they say about Chinese people: Chinese people are so lively even their factories make fun!
Oh, I love beef chow fun! I’d be afraid the noodles would clump up if I tried to make it. That’s a cute joke!!!