No, it’s not a complicated dish to enjoy for breakfast. Cooking time is about 15 minutes, and prep time is about five minutes. That’s all it takes to have hot and filling noodle soup bursting with Asian flavors. It’s almost like the peanut dipping sauce for Southeast Asian satay but milder and thinner.
Why udon? That was what I had. If you prefer some other Asian noodle, go ahead and substitute. Chinese egg noodles should be good too. Or Japanese ramen. Or rice noodles. Flat or tubular, thick or thin. Just make sure to cook the noodles before you prep the rest of the components of the dish.
How the noodles should be cooked depends on whether you’re using dried or fresh. If using dried, read the cooking instructions in the packaging. If using ready-to-eat noodles (usually vacuum-packed), simply drop into a pot of boiling water and stir lightly to separate. You’re just refreshing the noodles so don’t allow them to soak in the hot water for too long so they retain their lovely chewiness. If using frozen uncooked noodles, drop into boiling water and cook until done. Whether you use dried, fresh or frozen, remember to drain the noodles, refresh them in cold water and drain once more.
Coat the bottom of a wok with oil, whisk some eggs, pour into the hot oil and cook. Push the edges toward the center to create volume. When the underside is lightly browned, flip over and brown the other side. Use a spatula to break the eggs into chunks. Scoop out the eggs and set aside.
Cut the bacon into two-inch wide pieces and dump into the pan where you cooked your eggs. Stir the bacon around until the edges are lightly browned then pour in a cup and a half of chicken broth. Cover, lower the heat and simmer to give the bacon a chance to impart its flavor into the broth to give it a richer taste.
While the bacon simmers in the broth, mix together smooth peanut butter, sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce, lime juice and chili oil. Take a few tablespoons of the simmering broth, pour into the peanut butter mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pan with the bacon and broth. Stir to blend.
Cut up a bunch of bok choy, stir the stalks into the broth and simmer for two minutes. Add the bok choy leaves, pour in coconut cream and add the chunks of egg back into the pan. Cook until simmering. Taste the broth and add fish sauce if rather bland.
Place your noodles in bowls, ladle in the soup with the bacon, bok choy and eggs, garnish with toasted sesame seeds and more chili oil.
Creamy and nutty bacon and egg udon soup
Ingredients
- 300 grams udon (vacuum-packed ready to eat udon is used here)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 eggs whisked
- 300 grams bacon rashers cut into two-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups chicken bone broth (you may need more)
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter smooth and unsweetened
- 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili oil (homemade or store bought)
- 6 to 8 stalks bok choy (stalks and leaves separated) cut into two-inch lengths
- 1 cup coconut cream
- fish sauce optional
- toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Boil water in a pot, drop in the noodles and stir to separate.
- When the water reaches boiling point once more, turn off the heat, drain the noodles, rinse in cold water and drain again.
- Pour the cooking oil into a wok and swirl to coat the entire bottom.
- Pour in the eggs and cook on both sides until lightly browned. Break into chunks and set aside.
- Spread the bacon in the same pan and cook until lightly browned.
- Pour in the broth, cover the wok, lower the heat and simmer.
- Mix together the peanut butter, sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce, lime juice and chili oil.
- Pour a couple of tablespoons of the simmering broth into the peanut butter mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour into the wok and stir to blend.
- Add the bok choy stalks and simmer for two minutes.
- Stir the bok choy leaves, coconut cream and eggs, and bring to a simmer. If the soup is too thick, pour in more chicken broth.
- Taste and add fish sauce, if needed.
- Divide the noodles between two bowls and ladle in the soup with the bacon, bok choy and eggs.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and more chili oil.
