Egg Drop Udon

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Egg Drop Udon (Tamago-Toji Udon) Recipe

Egg Drop Udon, also known as Tamago Toji Udon in Japan, is a cozy, comforting noodle dish you can find in almost any udon shop throughout the country. This warm, savory soup features silky udon noodles combined with an egg-drop broth that adds extra nourishment and texture.

As a college student, this was my go-to meal when I needed something filling but affordable. With the added egg providing extra protein, it was more satisfying than the basic Kake Udon (plain udon bowl).

Today, I’ve taken this nostalgic dish a step further by adding Shimeji mushrooms for a boost of umami flavor, making it the perfect nourishing lunch or light dinner.

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RECIPE

Servings: 1

Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

• 1 serving udon noodles (frozen or fresh)

• 1 egg (beaten)

• 3 cups water

• ¼ cup mentsuyu (Japanese noodle soup base)

• 1 handful of Shimeji mushrooms (or any mushrooms of your choice)

• 1 tbsp potato starch + 1 tbsp water

• chopped scallions

My Kitchen Tools:

Cooking Pot

Cutting Board

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Soup In a pot, combine water, mentsuyu, and Shimeji mushrooms. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.

2. Cook the Udon Add your frozen udon noodles directly into the boiling soup and cook for about 1 minute, just until the noodles are tender. If using fresh udon, follow the cooking time on the package.

3. Transfer the Noodles Once the udon is cooked, carefully transfer the noodles into a serving bowl, leaving the soup in the pot.

4. Thicken the Soup In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of potato starch with 1 tablespoon of water to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the boiling soup to thicken it slightly.

5. Add the Egg While stirring the soup in a circular motion, slowly pour in the beaten egg. Allow the egg to cook for a few seconds without stirring, creating beautiful egg ribbons in the soup.

6. Pour the Soup Over the Noodles Once the egg has set, pour the thickened, eggy broth over the noodles in your serving bowl.

7. Garnish and Serve Top with chopped scallions for added freshness and serve your Tamago Toji Udon

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Tips for Perfect Egg Drop Udon

• Mentsuyu substitute: If you don't have mentsuyu, you can use a mixture of 1 tbsp dashi powder, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 3 cups water to recreate the flavor.

• Optional garnishing: Feel free to add grated ginger, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, shichimi hot pepper, or yuzu kosho pepper.

• Mushroom swap: If Shimeji mushrooms aren’t available, you can use shiitake, enoki, or maitake mushrooms.

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