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Beef Yaki Udon

Beef Yaki Udon reads umami 8.2, richness 6.1 and salinity 5.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese main, about 25 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 9.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.1 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.2 · Richness 6.1 · Salinity 5.5 · Sweetness 4.1 · Allium 4.0 · Nutty 3.5 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Warm Spice 2.0 · Herbaceous 1.7 · Fruity 1.7 · Sourness 1.3 · Earthy 1.2 · Bitterness 1.1 · Floral 1.0 · Citrus 0.8

What's in it (16)

• flank steak — 340 g
• cornstarch — 15 g
• soy sauce — 44 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• hot cooked egg noodles — 340 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• red bell pepper — 100 g
• green cabbage — 473 g
• carrots — 120 g
• garlic — 9 g
• ginger — 15 g
• oyster sauce — 30 g
• mirin — 15 g
• dark sesame oil — 5 g
• salt — 5 g
• scallions — 300 g

Time & effort: about 25 min (15 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 88.5 kcal, 5 g protein, 3.8 g fat, 8.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. In a medium bowl, toss the sliced beef with the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce until evenly coated; let sit at room temperature while you prep the vegetables, about 10 minutes.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop in the udon noodles, stirring gently to separate the strands, until just loosened and heated through, about 2 minutes; drain and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, the oyster sauce, mirin, and sesame oil; set the sauce aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the beef in a single layer and sear undisturbed until deeply browned on the first side, 2 minutes, then flip and cook until just cooked through, 1 minute more. Transfer the beef to a plate.
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the onion, carrots, and scallion whites and stir-fry over medium-high heat until the onion turns translucent and the carrots begin to soften, 3 minutes.
6. Add the cabbage, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger; stir-fry until the cabbage wilts and the peppers are crisp-tender, 3 minutes.
7. Add the drained noodles and the sauce to the pan; toss constantly with tongs until the noodles are glossy and heated through, 2-3 minutes.
8. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pan; toss to combine and heat through, about 1 minute. Season with the kosher salt to taste.
9. Divide among plates and top with the scallion greens.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Beef Lo Mein — Chinese-American
• Ground Turkey Fried Rice with Peas and Carrots — Chinese-American
• Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry — American
• Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein — Chinese-American
• Vegetable Fried Rice — Chinese-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.