T´i th›ch Æi ®n m◊ Udon lπnh, nh†t lµ vµo nh˜ng ngµy hà oi ∂ cÒa th∏ng 6, th∏ng 7. C∂m gi∏c sÓi m◊ th¨m ph¯c Æ≠Óc ≠Ìp Æ∏ m∏t lπnh, nhÛng vµo chän n≠Ìc dÔng dashi ÆÀm Ƶ, hÛp soµn soπt vµo mi÷ng mÌi thÀt Æ∑! There is nothing better than a cold Udon bowl to cool down during a hot summer day in June and July. Once you try it, I bet you would never forget that incredible feeling of slurping the hand-stretched noodles after dipping them in flavorful dashi sauce. 52 <strong>TRAVELLIVE</strong>
food&beverage - Gi†c mÈng Æm hà A SATISFYING MEAL OF COLD INANIWA UDON ON A SUMMERY DAY, ANYONE? To enjoy Inaniwa Udon in Vietnam: YOSHINO RESTAURANT Level 2, Lotte Legend Saigon 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang, Dist. 1, HCMC Tel: 08 3823 3333 Web: www.lottehotel. com/saigon To buy Japanese ingredients: TOKYO SHOP 15A8 Le Thanh Ton, Dist. 1, HCMC AKURUHI SUPPER MARKET 03-05 Le Thanh Ton, Dist. 1, HCMC TOKYO MART IN HCMC & NHA TRANG Web: www.tokyomart.vn Text: Phan Cac Truc - Photos: Yoshino Restaurant A FOODIE'S MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM ß i”m thÛ vfi cÒa Udon lµ Î mÁi vÔng kh∏c nhau ng≠Íi ta lπi c„ c´ng th¯c Udon kh∏c nhau. ß„i bÙng sau giÍ tan sÎ, c¯ µo vµo mÈt qu∏n m◊ nh· Î Kagawa chÍ kho∂ng 5 phÛt lµ c„ ngay t´ m◊ Sanuki Udon sÓi to dµy, vu´ng væn, n„ng hÊi vÌi tr¯ng vµ thfit; bπn bà ƒn ch¨i, th’ th◊ Æ∑ c„ b˜a ti÷c Kishimen Udon hoµnh tr∏ng vÌi sÓi m◊ phºng mfin Æ∆c tr≠ng cÒa thµnh phË Nagoya. MÈt loπi Udon Æ∆c sæc kh∏c cÒa NhÀt lµ Inaniwa Udon cÒa tÿnh Akita - n¨i nÊi ti’ng vÌi ch†t l≠Óng n´ng s∂n cao c†p Kh∏c vÌi Udon th≠Íng c„ k›ch th≠Ìc sÓi lÌn, m◊ Inaniwa Udon m∂nh dŒ, tinh t’. ô n≠Ìc ngoµi r†t hi’m khi th†y m◊ Inaniwa Udon, ng≠Íi NhÀt quan ni÷m Æ ngon lµ ph∂i Æ” ng≠Íi d©n h≠Îng tr≠Ìc. ThÀm ch› thÍi cÊ Î NhÀt, Inaniwa Udon lµ m„n m◊ chÿ giÌi qu˝ tÈc mÌi c„ th” th≠Îng th¯c; bÎi ch’ bi’n Inaniwa Udon v´ cÔng k˙ c´ng tı nguyn vÀt li÷u cho Æ’n s¯c ng≠Íi. BÈt m◊ dÔng lµm Udon cµng ch†t l≠Óng th◊ cµng dai (do hµm l≠Óng gluten cao), cµng n∆ng tay vµ kh„ nhÂi bÈt. N≠Ìc dÔng dashi ®n vÌi Udon r†t d‘ lµm, trn c¨ b∂n lµ Æun n„ng t∂o vµ c∏, nh≠ng c«n tay ngh“ cÒa ng≠Íi Æ«u b’p Æ” gi˜ ch†t ng‰t cÒa c∏ katsuobushi, vfi thanh m∏t tı t∂o bã kombu. Sau Æ„ thm ›t sake, mirin, x◊ d«u NhÀt (Japanese soy sauce) vµo dashi rÂi Æem c†t vµo ng®n m∏t tr≠Ìc khi th≠Îng th¯c cÔng Udon. Th≠Îng th¯c Udon lπnh ÆÛng ki”u NhÀt th◊ chÿ ®n m◊ vÌi n≠Ìc dÔng, bπn sœ kh´ng th†y thfit, tr¯ng, tempura thÀp c»m...nh≠ khi ®n Udon n„ng, bÎi chÛng sœ ∏t Æi vfi thanh, nhã cÒa hai m„n ch›nh. BÎi th’, n’u muËn bi’t tay ngh“ Æ«u b’p, c¯ ku Udon lπnh Æ” th≠Îng th¯c tr‰n vãn h≠¨ng cÒa nh˜ng sÓi m◊ t≠¨i Inaniwa Udon vµ chän n≠Ìc dÔng dashi ngon mi÷ng. What is so interesting about Udon in Japan is that each prefecture has its own unique style and techniques for preparing Udon. FEELING hungry after work? Just stop by a small Udon stand in Kagawa Prefecture and serve yourself a hot bowl of Sanuki Udon with long thick square-shape noodles. Wanna treat your friends to a big feast? Then head down to a nice restaurant around Nagoya (Aichi Prefecture) for toothsome bites of silky flat Kishimen Udon. Among the top three Japanese Udon is Inaniwa Udon, from Akita Prefecture - home to high-end, short-grain rice (Akitakomachi). Simple yet complex in nature, Inaniwa Udon is cream-colored and thinner than usual. Making Inaniwa Udon requires extremely careful selection of high quality ingredients, which explains the reason why in the old days, Inaniwa Udon used to be a tribute to shoguns, hence, it was served only to a select few aristocrats. Lots of labor goes into making these delicate noodles. The better the flour (the higher the gluten), the heavier the dough must be kneaded. Even these days, not many people outside Japan can have a chance to appreciate Inaniwa Udon since the Japanese government believes that the best Japanese products should be first consumed by the Japanese. To enjoy cold Inaniwa Udon like the Japanese, take only the noodles and the sauce (dashi sauce). The dashi sauce for cold Inaniwa Udon is simply made of kombu; (or konbu, dried seaweed); katsuobushi (or bonito flakes: dried, of smoked bonito fish); and finally seasoned with some mirin, sake, and Japanese soy sauce before it's ready for the table. You don-t need to add meat, eggs, tempura..., which may detract from the fresh Inaniwa udon and hearty dashi broth. <strong>TRAVELLIVE</strong> 53