Pasta – How to make Udon noodles fat

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When I get Udon at a restaurant, they're these massively thick noodles. When I cook them they look like linguine. What am I doing wrong?

Best Answer

Many of the dried noodles that are marketed as "udon"—at least in my experience in the USA—are actually mislabeled, thinner noodles like Hiyamugi or even Sōmen. I would suggest buying the semi-dried variety that are usually packaged in vacuum sealed plastic. This variety is shelf stable, but it can often be found in the refrigerated section of Asian mega-marts. The noodles will already be almost full size before cooking.