Food Wars: Tavern

Believe it or not, today is the last day for Food Wars: Tavern updates, not because I'm dropping but because the author hasn't made any new chapters passing chapter 327. He hasn't updated since the 8th of August. Just be aware that this fanfic is coming to an end, I'll see if I can create a rushed ending but I'm unsure.

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Udon is a type of noodle dish where the quality of the water used to cook the noodles plays a crucial role. Freshly made noodles boiled in good water make the best Udon. The best Udon shops often use natural water from wells or mountains, providing the perfect conditions for making excellent Udon.

In other words, the water is the most important factor.

Often, high-quality water can significantly influence the overall quality and taste of a bowl of Udon. This is something Erina, with her God Tongue, deeply believes in.

Many Udon restaurants set up their noodle-making operations in the suburbs, using well water, which brings out the natural flavor of the Udon better than treated tap water. Some noodle makers even use mountain water, which is considered superior to well water.

This is why it doesn't seem strange for people to carry their bowls and chopsticks and travel to remote areas just to eat a bowl of noodles. For a basic dish like Udon, famous shops can reach the highest levels of culinary excellence. When the technique reaches a certain point, the focus shifts to the quality of the ingredients.

For example, soy sauce!

In most cases, Udon is served with broth, but some people prefer to dip their noodles in soy sauce, similar to how some eat dry noodles without drinking the soup—just dipping them in soy sauce or vinegar.

There are many ways to eat Udon, and even the same method can vary in name and seasoning depending on the region. Here are some common examples:

One method is to separate the broth and noodles, dipping the noodles into the broth—this is the state where a and b are separate. This is similar to cold noodles in Chinese cuisine, and in the world of ramen, there is a dipping ramen known as Tsukemen, which can be thought of as dipped Udon.

Another common style is "Tsukimi Udon," where a raw egg is cracked into the bowl. The yolk, resembling the moon, gives the dish its name. In the Sanuki Udon style, this is known as "Kamatama," where the egg is served straightforwardly in the bowl, without any frills.

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"Tempura?"

At this moment, Erina pointed to the Tempura in her bowl, addressing the group.

It was obvious to anyone looking that there was indeed Tempura in the bowl.

"In Udon or Udon soup, adding Tempura is a common practice. In semi-self-service shops in Kagawa Prefecture, you often see a vast array of Tempura options, and customers can choose freely."

"Tsukimi Udon and Tempura Udon both include eggs and fried items, which belong to the z component in the formula."

"The z component also includes many other toppings, such as fried tofu, chicken, or duck meat, which can be added or removed as desired. Sometimes you might find two or even more different toppings."

"Due to the wide variety of possibilities, I won't go into detail here."

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At this moment, everyone fell into deep thought, reflecting on Erina's words. Without a doubt, everything she said was true.

Udon noodles.

The best pairing often includes Tempura. A crispy Tempura combined with chewy Udon noodles is a perfect match.

"Additionally, like Soba, Udon noodles can be served cold or hot, and the broth can also be cold or hot, creating four possible combinations."

"The first is cold noodles with cold broth, the second is cold noodles with hot broth, the third is hot noodles with cold broth, and the fourth is hot noodles with hot broth."

"Generally speaking, people prefer the first combination in summer and the fourth in winter."

"This is easy to understand, but the second and third combinations are less influenced by the weather and cater more to personal preferences."

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"I see."

"So, there's so much to consider in a simple bowl of Udon noodles!"

Hearing this, Hisako couldn't help but fall into deep thought. Erina's explanation made her feel as though a new world had been opened to her, revealing the intricacies of Udon noodles.

In fact, to be more precise, cold Udon can be divided into two types: 

After cooking, the noodles are rinsed in cold water and then placed in a bowl with cold water, known as cold water Udon. This keeps the noodles at their coldest, paired with a refreshing cold broth, which is particularly invigorating in the summer.

Another type is served in a basket, where the noodles are closer to room temperature, typically served with Tempura or other toppings, and dipped in sauce, similar to Soba.

Hot Udon also has two types:

The first is "Kamaage Udon," where the freshly boiled noodles are placed directly into a bowl. The second is "Kake Udon," where the cooked noodles are rinsed in cold water before being reheated, resulting in a clearer broth.

With a basic understanding of Udon, you can experiment by ordering the same combination at different restaurants to experience the differences in noodles and broth and find your preferred taste.

For instance, the noodles can be classified by texture: firm or soft, thick or thin, cold or hot. The broth can be made from Kombu (kelp), Bonito flakes, soy sauce, curry, or other flavors, and you can mix and match according to your taste.

For example, firm, thick noodles with hot broth made from Kombu point towards the king of Udon—Sanuki Udon.

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Strictly speaking, Udon can be considered a staple food.

As a form of carbohydrate, choosing the right staple food can actually help you lose weight faster during a fat loss phase. Udon noodles can be categorized as a staple.

Staple foods have their own glycemic index (GI) and calorie content. However, the GI can change depending on the cooking method and individual metabolism.

The glycemic index is typically used as a reference for people with diabetes and isn't a universal standard.

Whole grains and mixed grain staples generally have a lower GI, providing a stronger feeling of fullness and a higher protein content, which is why they are often recommended as the best staple foods. Many people avoid sticky rice and refined grains like rice and noodles because of this.

In reality, your intake of staple foods can be diversified, with mixed grains as the primary source. Consuming refined carbohydrates post-workout allows for better replenishment of glycogen and is less likely to convert into fat.

In this sense, Udon noodles can be considered a relatively balanced and nutritious dish.

As everyone watched, Erina finally left quietly, followed by her secretary, Hisako.

As she watched the familiar yet suddenly distant figure ahead, Hisako remained silent for a while before finally speaking up, "Lady Erina, you seem to have been studying Udon noodles a lot recently."

"Huh?"

Erina, walking in front, paused for a moment.

Her cheeks reddened slightly.

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From a nutritional perspective, Udon noodles and whole wheat bread are often compared, with the latter being more popular, especially in the fitness community, where whole wheat is highly praised.

Many fitness enthusiasts choose whole wheat bread as their main breakfast staple.

However, compared to whole wheat bread, Udon noodles offer countless possibilities for toppings and garnishes.

What most people don't know is the cooking method of Udon noodles before adding toppings and garnishes.

First is "Kake Udon."

Kake Udon is made by adding warm Udon noodles to a warm broth.

For Kake Udon, cooking the noodles is a crucial step. After cooking, the noodles are quickly rinsed in cold water, then warmed in hot water before being added to a Kansai-style dashi broth.

The second type is "Bukkake Udon."

The difference lies in dipping the noodles in soy sauce.

Bukkake Udon is served by placing the cooked Udon noodles in one bowl with soup and another bowl with rich dashi sauce.

This type of Udon is different from other Udon noodles in how it's eaten.

Next is the third type of Udon.

The third type of Udon is actually "Nabeyaki Udon," another common type of Udon that is eaten by dipping the noodles in sauce.

Nabeyaki Udon is similar to Bukkake Udon, but there's an important difference in the cooking process.

Nabeyaki Udon involves filtering the cooked noodles through cold water before reheating them.

Rinsing the noodles in cold water makes Nabeyaki Udon not only taste better but also gives it a very chewy texture.

The fourth type is "Zaru Udon," which comes in both cold and hot varieties and is eaten by dipping the noodles in cold sauce.

Cold Zaru Udon involves filtering the cooked noodles through cold water, placing them in a large bowl, and pouring rich dashi sauce over them.

Hot Zaru Udon follows the same steps as cold Zaru Udon but adds an extra step: rinsing the cold noodles in hot water before serving.

The fifth type is "Hiya Udon," which also comes in cold and warm varieties and is eaten by pouring cold sauce directly over the noodles.

Hiya Udon is different from Nabeyaki Udon in that the cooked noodles are not rinsed in cold water. The texture of Hiya Udon is similar to Nabeyaki Udon.

The last type of Udon is "Niku Udon."

This is made by placing warm Udon noodles in a warm broth. In some regions of Japan, like Kagawa Prefecture, Niku Udon is made by boiling Udon noodles, rinsing them in cold water, and then placing them in a rich dashi broth.

The dashi broth is made by stewing radishes, carrots, taro, potatoes, and other root vegetables.

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Not every Udon shop makes its own noodles, which means that Udon factories must exist.

These

 factories often have tables where customers can sit down and eat freshly made Udon noodles. Eating Udon at a factory may sound strange, but once you try it, you'll find it unforgettable.

Freshly made Udon has a texture that's very different from the typical Udon you might be used to.

But it's worth noting that, since it's just a factory, if you want to eat Udon there, you may need to bring your own chopsticks, bowl, and soy sauce.

As is widely known, Japan's three main types of noodles are:

Ramen, Udon, and Soba.

No matter what type of noodles, there's a term called "ban."

"Ban" refers to the "Kichiraban," a measure of noodle thickness.

One ban equals 30.3 millimeters, or one "sun," the Japanese unit of length. Two ban would divide one sun in half, approximately 15 millimeters, and so on.

This leads to another issue:

The thickness of the noodles refers to the thickness of the dough, which becomes one side of the noodle when it's cut. The standard size for this thickness is 3/4 of the ban number, but in practice, this ratio is not always followed.

The ban number can range from 1 to 30, with higher numbers indicating thinner noodles.

In machine-made noodles, the cutting size can be highly standardized, so the ban number is often mentioned.

For instance:

26 ban equals very thin noodles.

14 ban and 10 ban indicate thicker noodles.

The basic pairing concept for Udon noodles is to match thin noodles with light broth and thick noodles with rich broth. As the broth intensifies, from salt-based to soy-based, dried sardine broth to dipping broth, the noodles get thicker accordingly.

The ban number and noodle thickness generally correspond to descriptions like "thick noodles," "thin noodles," "very thin noodles," etc., such as:

Very thin, wide, leek-leaf, or three-sided noodles…

The thickness of noodles varies significantly across different regions.

Among Japan's three main types of Ramen, Hakata Ramen is the thinnest, ranging from 24 to 28 ban.

Next is Sapporo Ramen, around 22 ban.

The thickest is Kitakata Ramen, at 12 to 14 ban.

The thickest among all is the 10-ban Okinawa Soba, while the thinnest is the 28-ban Hakata Ramen.

Noodle thickness directly impacts the eating experience—thin noodles are smooth and easy to eat, while thick noodles provide more contact with the mouth, creating a more substantial presence.

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It's clear that making a bowl of Udon noodles is relatively easy.

But making a high-quality bowl of Udon is quite challenging.

While Udon noodles don't openly emphasize the ban number, the range of noodle thickness may be far greater than you'd expect.

In the broad sense of Udon noodles, it includes not only fresh noodles between 4 to 6 ban, regular Udon between 7 to 16 ban, but also Hiyamugi noodles between 17 to 24 ban, and Somen noodles between 25 to 30 ban…

Although the most familiar to us is the regular Udon, particularly the white and chubby Sanuki Udon.

However, the Kichiraban measures fresh noodle dimensions.

If we classify by dried noodle size, noodles longer than 4.5 millimeters and narrower than 2 millimeters are called Kishimen.

Noodles longer than 1.7 millimeters are regular Udon, noodles between 1.3 and 1.7 millimeters are Hiyamugi, and noodles smaller than 1.3 millimeters are Somen.

As for Soba noodles:

Meticulous Edo-style Soba chefs have strict rules about how thick their noodles should be. "Ni-Hachi Soba"—20% wheat flour, 80% buckwheat flour.

Medium-thick noodles should be cut into 23 pieces per inch, and the modern ban number for Soba usually ranges between 18 and 24. However, other widths of Soba also exist.

Overall, Japanese noodles are divided into straight and curly varieties.

Curly noodles have a more pronounced texture.

Straight noodles have smaller gaps between strands, making them better at holding onto broth.

In machine-made noodles, the noodles become curly when a barrier or other resistance is applied to the output of the straight noodles.

However, in hand-made noodles, straight noodles are gently twisted into curly ones by hand.

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Without a doubt, Erina is a genius, and not just any genius—a rare one.

Some people spend their whole lives studying Udon noodles and barely scratch the surface.

Yet, in this short period, Erina has elevated Udon to a whole new level, showcasing a talent that is truly astounding!