The 5-Minute Japanese Noodles Cookbook: Ramen, Soba, Udon, Somen and More!

Noted Japanese chef and cookbook author Ichise (Bento: Lunches from Scratch) wants cooks to ditch packaged ramen in favor of a healthier alternative: delicious noodle dishes prepared with fresh ingredients that can be cooked in the same amount of time. Ichise first delves into eight basic seasoning components such as mirin, miso, sake, and vinegar that flavor her dishes and even provides a recipe for making one’s own dashi stock. She then delivers a wide range of tempting recipes arranged in chapters including “Soy Sauce–Flavored Noodles,” “Savory Salted Noodles,” and “Miso-Flavored Noodles.” The recipes range from simple kama-age udon and ramen with chicken, grated daikon, and avocado to East-meets-West dishes such as carbonara-style udon with mushrooms and bacon and tomato curry ramen. Novice noodle cooks will likely appreciate helpful tips from Ichise, including the proper way to drain noodles and her ingredient substitution suggestions.