Description
Shrimp Yaki Udon with Zesty Lemon Soy Sauce is a refreshing and quick Japanese stir-fry dish featuring succulent shrimp, crunchy vegetables, and thick udon noodles tossed in a salty, zesty lemon soy sauce. Perfect for a light summer lunch or dinner, this recipe combines bold citrus flavors with savory soy and aromatic sesame for a delightful and healthy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Shio Lemon Sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu) or regular soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sake or white wine
- ½ tsp grated garlic or garlic paste
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp finely chopped green onions (green part)
Shio Lemon Yaki Udon
- 2 tsp cooking oil
- 3 tbsp dried baby shrimp (hoshi ebi)
- 2 tbsp Japanese leek (naganegi), white part, finely sliced
- 200 g shrimp, deshelled, deveined, and cleaned
- 100 g asparagus, cut into 2cm pieces
- 1 pinch salt
- 50 g green cabbage, roughly chopped
- 100 g bean sprouts, rinsed well
- 2 portions udon noodles, pre-boiled
- Finely chopped green onions for garnish
- Ground black pepper for garnish
- Toasted sesame oil for optional garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix all the shio lemon sauce ingredients including the lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, sugar, soy sauce, sake, garlic, toasted sesame oil, chicken bouillon powder, sesame seeds, and finely chopped green onions. Set aside for later use.
- Flavor the Oil: Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of cooking oil, then add the dried baby shrimp and Japanese leek. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant, allowing the flavor to infuse the oil.
- Cook Shrimp and Asparagus: Increase heat to medium-high. Add the cleaned shrimp and asparagus pieces to the wok, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and stir-fry until the shrimp turn opaque and the asparagus is tender-crisp, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Veggies: Incorporate the bean sprouts and chopped green cabbage into the wok. Continue stir-frying for 1 to 1½ minutes until the vegetables soften slightly but stay crunchy.
- Cook Udon Noodles: Push all the ingredients to one side of the wok. Add the pre-boiled udon noodles into the empty space. Splash a little water over the noodles and gently separate them as they steam to prevent sticking.
- Combine with Sauce: Pour the prepared shio lemon sauce around the edges of the wok, then stir-fry everything together for 1-2 minutes, ensuring the noodles and all ingredients are evenly coated with the sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: Transfer the yaki udon to serving plates. Garnish with finely chopped green onions, a sprinkle of ground black pepper, and optionally drizzle toasted sesame oil on top. Serve immediately and enjoy your zesty, flavorful shrimp yaki udon!
Notes
- Use pre-boiled udon noodles for quicker preparation; fresh or frozen udon works best.
- Adjust the lemon juice and zest quantity to taste for more or less citrus zing.
- If you cannot find dried baby shrimp, substitute with small fresh shrimp or omit them.
- To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce.
- Tip: Stir-fry on higher heat for a nice wok hei flavor, but be careful not to overcook the shrimp.