Curry Beef Yaki Udon Stir Fry
A curry beef yaki udon stir fry recipe with thick & chewy udon noodles that absorbs all the flavours of the lightly sweetened maple curry & provides a satisfying chewiness!
Servings: 2 Servings
Calories: 378kcal
Ingredients
- 1 brick sanuki udon (frozen)
- ½ lb beef (any type of steak) (or 1½ cup of leftover meat, sliced thinly)
- 1 carrot (cut into slivers, matchsticks)
- 1½ cups cabbage (cut thinly)
- 1 small onion (sliced thinly)
Beef Marinade (Skip If Using Leftover Meat)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon oil
Maple Curry Sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or ½ tablespoon of honey)
- ½ tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Toppings (Optional)
- 1 stalk of green onion (finely chopped)
- toasted sesame seeds
- 2 eggs (pan-fried)
Instructions
Preparation
- Soak the frozen block of sanuki udon in a bowl of cold or room temperature water for 2 minutes (or until the noodles strands defrost and become pliable. Once it is pliable, drain the water and set it aside
- Thinly slice the cabbage, and cut the carrots into thin sticks. Set it a side for later.
- If you are using green onions as a topping, finely mince the green onions and set aside
- If you are using leftover meat, instead of a raw beef steak, thinly slice this as well, and set it aside for later.
Marinate Beef (Skip If Using Leftover Meat)
- Slice the beef against the grain to make it tender. I like to cut them ⅛ inch thick.
- Add the sliced beef to a bowl, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon water, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon oil and mix everything together very well. Set this aside for later.
Make the Curry Stir Fry Sauce
- In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or ½ tablespoon of honey), ½ tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder, and 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Set it aside for later.
Stir Frying Everything Together
- In a frying pan, set the heat to medium heat and add a bit of oil to it. Wait for it to get hot, watch for the oil to shimmer.
- Once the pan is hot, add in the beef slices and pan-fry it for about 4-5 minutes. If you're using leftover meat, cook it for about 2 minutes instead.
- Add in the onions and stir fry it for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the vegetables and cook it until it is soft and slightly browned (approximately 4 minutes)
- Add in the udon noodles and sauce.
- Stir fry it together for about 1-2 minutes until the noodles warm up and are fully coated in the sauce.
- Top it with green onions and sesame seeds or a fried egg (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
- Use Frozen Udon Noodles: For the best chewy udon noodle texture, opt for frozen udon noodles that come in blocks in the freezer section of your grocery store. They will give you that perfect chewy texture with a bit of springiness that we all love in our yaki udon.
- Madras Curry Powder: The curry powder I use for this recipe is Madras curry powder which is very similar to regular curry powder but it's spicier. This recipe can be made with regular curry powder as well.
- Slice Your Beef (or Leftover Meat) Thinly: The thinner you slice them, the quicker they will cook. This will save you time and ensure that your stir fry cooks evenly.
- Customize Your Sauce: The curry powder in this recipe adds a delicious curry flavor, but if you're not a fan, simply omit it. You'll still end up with a delicious, traditional stir-fried yaki udon.
