Yakisoba is translated as grilled noodles (soba) and was originally derived from the Chinese chow mein. While chow mein uses soy sauce, the Japanese season this noodle with a Worcestershire sauce like thick sweet sauce, which you can buy at most well stocked grocers under various brands of “yakisoba sauce.”
Yakisoba is very easy to make and you can add almost any ingredients to make it your own. Popular yakisoba varieties include vegetarian, seafood, or classic with pork belly.
Ingredients
3 shiitake mushrooms
½ onion
1 carrot
2 green onions
4 cabbage leaves
½ – ¾ lb sliced pork belly (or your choice of meat and/or seafood, we find ourselves using shrimp most of the time, as it is a staple we have on hand)
1-2 Tbsp oil
Freshly ground black pepper
8 Tbsp.* yakisoba sauce (or the seasonings that comes with the yakisoba package)
1 pkg Yakisoba Noodles (we like the Nama brand, which also comes with the yakisoba sauce and this one is excellent)
Optional toppings
Dried green seaweed for garnish
Pickled red ginger for garnish
Instructions
Slice the vegetables and meat. Thinly slice the shiitake mushrooms and the onion. Cut the carrot into julienned strips. Chop the green onion and the cabbage into jullienne.
In a wok, heat oil on high heat. Cook the meat until there is no pink visible.
Add the onion (and other hard vegetable) and cook until wilted.
Add the rest of (soft) vegetables and stir fry until they are soft.
Add black pepper and 3 Tbsp. of yakisoba sauce.
Quickly run hot water over yakisoba noodle to separate the frozen noodle if they are stuck together from the package.
Lower the heat to medium. Add noodles, separating each other with hands. Keep stirring and make sure not to burn the bottom of the wok.
Add Yakisoba Sauce or contents of sauce package, following directions for same. Depending on the amount of ingredients, adjust the amount of sauce. Mix all together.
Serve on a plate and garnish with dried seaweed seasoning and pickled ginger.