Tag Archives: kitsune udon

#3124: Maruchan Kitsune Udon (Eastern Japan Version) 40th Anniversary – Japan

Today we have a Zenpop.JP variety – so what’s Zenpop? They’re a subscription service for all things Japanese! Definitely, check them out. By the way, use coupon code RAMENRATER to get $2 off! Here’s what they had to say about this one –

‘Maruchan’s Kitsune Udon marked the 40th anniversary in August, 2018. For the celebration, they have recreated the label to the the same as when it was first released. There are two versions for Kitsune Udon, Eastern Japan and Western Japan, which have a little difference in the taste of the soup. The Eastern Japan version mainly uses bonito broth and has a strong taste of soy sauce. Enjoy the original taste of Kitsune Udon with Eastern Japan feelings!’

Hey, don’t tell me how I feel!! Well, actually scratch that – rolled out of bed this morning feeling a little Eastern Japanese-y… Let’s check it out.

Maruchan Kitsune Udon (Eastern Japan Version) 40th Anniversary – Japan

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains fish. To prepare, add everything to the bowl and cover for 3 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

The noodle block.

A dry sachet.

A light powder.

Kamaboko (fishcake) and other bits loose in the bowl.

A slab of fried tofu.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, shichimi, and spring onion. Udon was particularly good – nice and wide with a decent tooth to it. The broth has a sweet bonito hit and it salty. Fried tofu is very sweet and satisfying. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4901990361569.

12 pack Akai kitsune Udon (6pack) and Midori no Tanuki Soba (6pack) set

Watch me cook this up on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!

#2799: Maruchan Kitsune Soba

Comments

Here’s another neat one from Zenpop.JP. Thank you! So Zenpop has all sorts of monthly boxes including ramen boxes. Nine instant ramen in one box for a good price – check ’em out! Here’s what they had to say about this one –

Kitsune means ‘fox’ in Japanese and Kitsune soba is topped with fried tofu, which according to folklore, fox spirits are fond of. Since this product is made to sell in the Kanto area, where Tokyo in included, the soup has a stronger flavor of shoyu compared to the Kansai one.

sounds good to me – let’s crack it open

Maruchan Kitsune Soba – Japan

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains pork and fish. To prepare, add everything to the bowl and boiling water to line. Cover for 3 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

The noodle block.

The kitsune!

Loose bits from the bowl.

The soup base sachet.

Lots of powder.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts and shichimi togarashi. Noodles had a kind of chew that seemed like they would do so much better dry than in soup. The broth was so salty and strong that it was just kind of gross to me. The saving grace of the kitsune was the only thing keeping this from the stripey hole. 0.25 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4901990529211.

Maruchan Aka Kitsune Udon Cup, 3.39-Ounce Units (Pack of 12)

An older Maruchan TV spot

#2717: Maruchan Umaitsuyu Kitsune Udon

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“The low sodium soup contains soft udon noodles and deep fried sweet tofu. It won the gold prize at the JSH Low Sodium Food Award in 2017. It’s a healthy and tasty version of the classic Japanese dish! Add the bag of flavor magic after the noodles cook for 3 min.”

Here’s some info on kitsune udon from Wikipedia as well –

Kitsune udon: “Fox udon”. Topped with aburaage (sweetened deep-fried tofu pockets). This originated in Osaka.

Alright – let’s have a look at this low-sodium variety from Japan!

Maruchan Umaitsuyu Kitsune Udon – Japan

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains fish. To prepare, add boiling water to fill line and cover for 3 minutes. Add the liquid sachet. Finally, stir and enjoy!

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

The noodle block.

Loose bits of garnish and seasoning from the cup.

The liquid seasoning sachet.

Almost looks a little reddish.

Finished (click to enlarge). Noodles are broad and soft. Lots of garnish in this one – kamaboko, fried tofu pieces that are everywhere. Some other stuff as well. Pretty good. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4901990336314.

Maruchan Aka Kitsune U d o n Cup, 3.39-Ounce Units (Pack of 12)

Let’s have unboxing time!

#2598: Myojo Western Style Kitsune Udon

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This one was sent by Javier over at Box From Japan. Box From Japan is a subscription service and every month, you get 4 great new instant ramen bowls from Japan! Definitely worth a look! This one, of course, is from Japan and is kitsune udon! What’s that? Here’s a little from Wikipedia –

Udon (饂飩, usually written as うどん) is a type of thick wheat flour noodle of Japanese cuisine. Udon is often served hot as a noodle soup in its simplest form, as kake udon, in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru, which is made of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions. Other common toppings include tempura, often prawn or kakiage (a type of mixed tempura fritter), or aburaage, a type of deep-fried tofupockets seasoned with sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. A thin slice of kamaboko, a halfmoon-shaped fish cake, is often added. Shichimi can be added to taste.

The flavor of broth and topping vary from region to region. Usually, dark brown broth, made from dark soy sauce (koikuchi shōyu), is used in eastern Japan, and light brown broth, made from light soy sauce (usukuchi shōyu), is used in western Japan. This is even noticeable in packaged instant noodles, which are often sold in two different versions for east and west.

Kitsune udon: “Fox udon”. Topped with aburaage (sweetened deep-fried tofu pockets). This originated in Osaka.

Alrighty! Let’s check out this kistune udon.

Myojo Western Style Kitsune Udon – Japan

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains fish. To prepare, add in sachet contents and boiling water to fill line. Cover for 5 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

The noodle block.

The powder base sachet.

Light and fluffy.

The fried tofu – a big block of it.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added spring onion and shichimi togarashi. The udon hydrated well. I generally like my udon with a little more backbone and of the round style, but these flat soft ones did the trick very nicely. The broth has a light taste to it not jockeying for flavor over the tofu, which was soft and supple with a very good sweetness and flavor. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902881429566.

Myojo Tonkotsu Noodles, Creamy, 7.37 Ounce

How to make beef udon

#2573: Ikeda Shokuhin Nabeyaki Kitsune Udon

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Here’s one that came by way of the guys over at Exotic Noods. Thanks! You can subscribe and get great boxes of different noodles every month – they also have The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Box! Definitely take a look. So today it’s udon from Japan. Kitsune udon comes with some fried tofu – which is really good stuff. Udon is a very thick noodle, but what is a nabeyaki? Here’s a little from Wikipedia –

Nabeyaki udon: A sort of udon hot-pot, with seafood and vegetables cooked in a nabe, or metal pot. The most common ingredients are tempura shrimp with mushrooms and an egg cracked on top.

Nabemono (鍋物, なべ物, nabe “cooking pot” + mono “thing or things, object, matter”) or simply nabe, is a variety of Japanese hot pot dishes, also known as one pot dishes^[1] and “things in a pot.”^[2]

Okay so this is a kind of hot pot style cooked udon. What gets me is that the container for this one is metal; almost looks like a Jiffy Pop noodle cooking affair. Let’s check it out!

Ikeda Shokuhin Nabeyaki Kitsune Udon – Japan

Here’s the distributor/import sticker (click to enlarge).

Detail of the cardboard lid (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add 300ml boiling water and cook for 2 minutes? Very hard to tell on this one so that’s what I’m going to go with. This should be long enough for the noodles to loosen and the tofu to become ‘happy.’ Stir and enjoy!

The fresh udon pouch.

The liquid base (called ‘the dry base’ on the sticker I gues).

Has a soy scent.

The fried tofu.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added spring onion, 31-44ct shrimp, and shichimi togarashi. The udon came out very well – thick and chewy. The broth has a sweet and soy kind of flavor – I’m not entirely convinced that there isn’t some bonito in there. The tofu is great – very sweet and tasty. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4970083061587.

Gosu Ikeda 6.1inch Ramen-Bowl with cover White porcelain Made in Japan

Cooking With Dog!

#2415: Nissin Kitsune Udon Donbei (West)

1 Reply

I’m happy to say that I got an email from Javier over at Box From Japan telling me that they’re back! They offer s subscription service – instant ramen bowls direct from Japan! You get 4 bowls every month! It’s pretty neat – should go check it out!

Today, we have a bowl from Nissin Japan – Kitsune udon. Let’s ask Wikipedia about it:

Udon (饂飩^?, usually written as うどん) is a type of thick wheat flour noodle of Japanese cuisine. Udon is often served hot as a noodle soup in its simplest form, as kake udon, in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru, which is made of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. It is usually with thin scallions. Other common toppings include tempura, often prawn or kakiage (a type of mixed tempura fritter), or aburaage, a type of deep-fried tofu pockets seasoned with sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. A thin slice of kamaboko, a halfmoon-shaped fish cake, is often added. Shichimi can be added to taste.

The flavor of broth and topping vary from region to region. Usually, dark brown broth, made from dark soy sauce (koikuchi shōyu), is used in eastern Japan, and light brown broth, made from light soy sauce (usukuchi shōyu), is used in western Japan. This is even noticeable in packaged instant noodles, which are often sold in two different versions for east and west.

Kitsune udon: “Fox udon”. Topped with aburaage (sweetened deep-fried tofu pockets). This originated in Osaka.

This is a pretty popular variety in Japan. Indeed, this is a long-lived series of products. So let’s check out Nissin’s Kitsune Udon – West-style!

Nissin Kitsune Udon Donbei (West) – Japan

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains fish. To prepare, add sachet contents and 410ml boiling water to the bowl and cover for 5 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

The udon noodle block.

A dual sachet.

The powder soup base.

Shichimi togarashi – a peppery melange.

Finally, the kitusne – sweet fried tofu.

Finished (click to enlarge). The noodles sucked up a lot of liquid and were of great quanlity and character. They’re broad and very thick but flatter than other udon you might find in the refrigerated section. The broth is light and a little sweet with notes of fish. The kitsune (fried tofu) was sweet and soft. Indeed, I’ve found it to remind me of a big rectangular tongue. It’s good and compliments the soup and noodles perfectly. The little sprinkle of shichimi togarashi was nice. I can see why this is a popular bowl in Japan. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902105002674.

Nissin Donbei Kitsune U d o n, Instant Japanese Udon Noodle with Fried Tofu, Strong Taste, 3.4oz X 6 bowls (For 6 Servings)[japan Import]

A Nissin TV advertisement.

#2359: Daikoku Kitsune Udon

Comments

Animal noodles! Animal noodles? Yup – animal noodles. That’s at least what I used to call these – there are two of them very popular in Japan – kitsune uson and tanuki soba. Kitsune refers to a fox and has fried tofu with it. Tanuki soba usually has either a round disc of tempura or little bits of it. Here’s a little more info from Wikipedia –

Udon (饂飩^?, usually written as うどん) is a type of thick wheat flour noodle of Japanese cuisine. Udon is often served hot as a noodle soup in its simplest form, as kake udon, in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru, which is made of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions. Other common toppings include tempura, often prawn or kakiage (a type of mixed tempura fritter), or aburaage, a type of deep-fried tofu pockets seasoned with sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. A thin slice of kamaboko, a halfmoon-shape fish cake, is often a garnish.

The flavor of broth and topping vary from region to region. Usually, dark brown broth, made from dark soy sauce (koikuchi shōyu), is used in eastern Japan, and light brown broth, made from light soy sauce (usukuchi shōyu), is used in western Japan. This is even noticeable in packaged instant noodles, which are often sold in two different versions for east and west.

Kitsune udon: “Fox udon”. Topped with aburaage (sweetened deep-fried tofu pockets). This originated in Osaka.

Let’s have a look at this foxy noodle.

Daikoku Kitsune Udon – Japan

The distributor/import sticker (click to enlarge).

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains fish. To prepare, add boiling water to fill line and cover for 3 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

The noodle block.

Loose bits from inside the cup. Note the little granules.

Finished (click to enlarge). The noodles were a bit wider, but not by much. This way of presenting udon always confused me a little, but hey whatever works. While the noodles were decent, the broth was a salty and rough go. The broth had a very strong fish taste to it which is fine, but the saltiness level was extreme. The kamaboko is everywhere which I really like as are the seaweed and strips of tofu. 1.5 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4904511006062.

Daikoku My Friends Big source chow mein 120g ~ 12 pieces

A trip to 7-Eleven in Japan!

#1626: Nissin Gonbuto Kitsune Udon

Comments

This is another of the Gonbuto bowls. Nissin Gonbuto Kitsune Udon has a unique preparation regime which was quite hard to figure out – I figured it out after a lot of research (to be honest, I read the side numbers). Let’s have a look at this Nissin Gonbuto Kitsune Udon bowl!

A distributor/import sticker (click image to enlarge).

Detail from the side panels (click image to enlarge).

Detail of the lid (click image to enlarge). To prepare, boil 320ml water and set aside. Take udon pack and microwave at 500w for 30 seconds. Add soup base sachet to bowl and add in boiling water. Stir. Add in udon you microwaved. Add on kitsune and sprinkle with garnish. Enjoy!

The fresh udon pouch.

The soup base sachet.

Lots of powder.

The garnish sachet.

Lots of little bits.

Fried tofu!

Finished (click image to enlarge). The udon came out just right – standard fresh pouch gauge and chew. The broth has a soy and fish flavor to it which was kind of ho hum to me but not bad. The fried tofu was way too sweet for my liking, almost like a bread with syrup. 2.75 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902105216415.

Another popular tempura udon from Nissin Japan is this Hokkaido Gentei KITA no DONBEI Tempura Udon.

A Nissin Gonbuto TV spot featuring kitsune udon.

#1509: Nissin Donbei Kitsune Udon Mini

2 Replies

It’s kind of hard to tell the size of this little mini Kitsune Udon, so let’s have a look at this.

I think this kind of brings the idea home a little. It’s quite small. Donbei Kitsune Udon comes with a fried slice of tofu. Also, the noodles are usually much wider than your standard ones. I guess there are lots of Mini sized instant out there – got this one up in Richmond, BC on my birthday this year from a little store called Fujiya. Let’s check out this pint-sized (more like a schooner) bowl!

Here’s the distributor/import sticker (click image to enlarge). Contains fish.

Detail of the side panels (click image to enlarge). Looks like you add everything into the bowl and add 200ml boiling water. Re-cover and steep for 3 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

Detail of the lid (click image to enlarge).

The noodle block.

A slice of fried tofu.

The soup base sachet.

Has a kind of sweet fishy scent.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added mung bean sprouts, sliced green onion and hard boiled egg with a sprinkle of Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Basil Seasoning. The noodles are flat and broad udon. They come across a little soggy unfortunately. The broth has a sweet fish and soy sauce flavor which is quite nice though. The kitsune piece is a trip. Imagine something really floppy but chewy, almost chewy as meat, but not meat. In a way it’s kind of like a fried tofu tongue! I will say it didn’t feel like I was making out with my food. Nevertheless, it was a nice little bowl of noodles – like a dim sum portion, and you can’t beat a little fried tofu. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars.EAN bar code 49698510.

You can purchase this cup here on Amazon.

Here’s a Nissin Donbei commercial featuring Gundam Wing!

#639: Nissin Gozen Kitsune Udon

1 Reply

Kitsune Udon Gozen, as I type thy name into here, I am pretty sure you’ll be remembered as one of my all time favorites. This was purchased during a recent trip to Seattle to Uwajimaya. It was there that I truly began my journey into the world of the instant noodle so many years ago.

So what is Kitsune Udon? Kitsune is fried tofu. Udon is simply a wider gauge noodle.

This EVERYTHING that was on the side of the container (click image to enlarge).

I think the full label has more to say, but here are some of the main points of ingredients and nutrition.

A single packet of dry powder.

The powder atop the udon. The vegetables were underneath the noodle block. I added a tiny dash of Cavendar’s Greek seasoning to the water that the noodles steeped in.

This is the piece of fried tofu. It will sit atop the noodle block and steep with the boiling water. It is about the size of an audio cassette and about four millimeters thick.

Two fried eggs with a dash of Lindberg-Snider Red Baron BBQ seasoning on the left and some fried shallots with some Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning on the right.

Finished (click image to enlarge). I also added some kizami shoga (hot pink pickled ginger) and a couple dashes of Texas Pete hot sauce on top of the eggs. Let’s start with the noodles. They are soft and very wide – not chewy but not mushy either. The broth is salty and rich in flavor – soy sauce and a nice hint of seafood. The tofu was very nice – tender and delectable. I relished every bite. This is a 5.0 out of 5.0 star affair BEFORE the added eggs and shallots, etc. Great stuff!!! Happy Martin Luther King Jr. day! UPC barcode 4902105201954.

A comparison of two Kitsune Udon bowls that are practically identical.

This reviewed product was so enjoyable, it deserves the high holy Desslok tribute!