Chilled Bukkake Pork Shabu Udon (Ultimate Quick Broth)

Pour water into a container and add the mentsuyu (2x concentrate). Mentsuyu alone gives the broth that distinctive store-bought aroma and tastes like plain mentsuyu, so blending in the other seasonings is the key to a great result.

Add the shiro-dashi and granular Japanese dashi. The shiro-dashi brings refined, fragrant depth, while the granular dashi (Hondashi) directly boosts the katsuo aroma and umami.

Add a dash of soy sauce and a pinch (about 1g) of sugar, then mix well to fully dissolve the granular dashi. Once dissolved, the quick broth is ready. Keep it thoroughly chilled in the refrigerator until just before serving.

Cut the thinly sliced pork belly into bite-sized pieces.

Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the cooking sake and turn off the heat. The cooking sake thoroughly removes the gamey smell from the pork.

With the heat off, add all the pork to the water at once rather than piece by piece. Cook briefly until the surface changes color, then immediately lift it out onto a tray.

While the pork spread on the tray is still hot, sprinkle it with salt, cover with plastic wrap, and let it cool to room temperature. The wrap keeps in moisture, and not chilling it in the refrigerator prevents it from turning tough and dry.

Bring the water used to cook the pork back to a boil, add the kishimen, and boil for 30 seconds to 1 minute longer than the package directs. Using the same water is fine since the noodles are rinsed in cold water afterward, so no off-smell remains.

Turn off the heat, drain the noodles in a colander, and rinse the kishimen under running water to cool it down. Wash off any scum or residue from the pork clinging to the surface of the noodles.

Once the residue is washed off and the noodles have cooled, transfer them to ice water and chill the kishimen thoroughly to firm it up. Shocking in ice water tightens the noodles for a pleasantly chewy texture.

Arrange the kishimen neatly in a bowl and top with the pork, chopped green onion, and grated daikon and sudachi to taste.

Finally, pour the thoroughly chilled udon broth over the top and it is done. Squeeze plenty of sudachi over it when you eat.