Creamy Korean Udon with Eggs and Mushrooms

Another near-month has gone by without a post, which seems to be something of a trend lately. It seems like no matter how motivated I am to cook, photograph, and post, something always comes up. When The Summer From Hell™ ended and we got engaged, I thought life would calm down, but one semester rolled into the next as time is wont to do. No rest for the wicked or the weary in this house! Both Alex and I ended up getting terribly ill in mid-October, too, and we’re just now getting over the last remnants of passing it back and forth between us more than once.

Without the ability or will to cook while severely under the weather, I spent my free time looking for new ways to improve this website. I pulled out the Craigslist-acquired DSLR I bought before travelling in 2016 and spent more than a few afternoons watching YouTube videos about the many settings and modes I’d never thought to explore, and got halfway through putting together a handmade photography board with my mom before falling sick a second time.

I also took a step away from planning meals on the fly and really sat down to think about what I wanted to cook when I finally got better. The result was a notebook full of ideas with no real way to test them, but now that I’ve finally finished this round of classes and have a few days off before we drive up to New England (a new Christmas tradition), I have plenty of free time!

This delicious korean-style udon recipe is one of those aforementioned flashes of half-fevered inspiration, although it’s technically a second iteration. My first attempt involved a dish so mushy and disintegrated that the entire thing ended up looking like a bowl of orange porridge, and I overcooked the eggs so terribly that they ended up nearly blackened on one side. Not my finest moment, for sure. The flavors were all there, though, and with a few tweaks (and a resolution not to walk away from the stove while cooking) round two was a major success!

This recipe makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (about 1 package) udon noodles
• 15-20 baby bella mushrooms
• 4 eggs
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup gochujang
• 1/4 cup kimchi
• 2 tbsp light oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp miso paste
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (smooth)
• 1 tbsp (about 4 cloves) garlic
• 1 tbsp (about 1 inch) ginger
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp gochugaru/red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

1. Slice bell peppers in half and remove cores. Place halves skin-side up on a nonstick or parchment-lined baking sheet. Broil on high for 10-15 minutes, or until the skin has begun to bubble. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
2. Add roasted red peppers, gochujang, kimchi, miso paste, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, and white pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until relatively smooth.
3. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the liquid from the blended sauce into a medium-sized pot or high-walled pan. Reserve the strained solids and set aside.
4. Bring strained sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Add coconut cream and stir until blended. Simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes, or reduce to low until all other elements are prepared.
5. Prepare udon noodles according to package directions, strain, and toss with sesame oil. Set aside.
6. In a small saute pan, add the strained sauce solids, 1 tsp light oil, and mushrooms. Fry on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the mushrooms have begun to crisp. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. In a large nonstick skillet, add the remaining light oil and heat to high. When the oil has begun to lightly sizzle, crack 1 egg into the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the whites have completely cooked but the yolk remains runny. Repeat with the three remaining eggs. (Note: The eggs will bubble and pop while frying, so I recommend tilting the pan away from you as you’re cooking. Don’t step away from the stove! Eggs cook very quickly and will easily burn if left unattended.)
8. Add gochugaru and cooked udon noodles to the warm sauce, and toss to coat completely. Serve topped with fried mushrooms, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and two fried eggs each. Enjoy!

This recipe reheats reasonably well in the microwave, although I would not recommend storing cooked eggs in the fridge overnight. The noodle and mushroom portion, however, could be a great lunch option if you’re looking for something different!

This recipe was also inspired by PureWow’s Gochujang Zoodles, largely because I’d never even considered using kimchi as anything other than a topping or side dish before coming across their recipe on Pinterest. Go check it out!

Print Recipe

Creamy Korean Udon with Fried Eggs and Mushrooms

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Korean

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 617kcal

Equipment

• fine mesh strainer
• blender/food processor

Ingredients

• 1 lb udon noodles about 1 package
• 15-20 baby bella mushrooms
• 4 eggs
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup gochujang
• 1/4 cup kimchi
• 2 tbsp light oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp miso paste
• 1 tbsp peanut butter smooth
• 1 tbsp garlic about 4 cloves
• 1 tbsp ginger about 1 inch
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp gochugaru/red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

• Slice bell peppers in half and remove cores. Place halves skin-side up on a nonstick or parchment-lined baking sheet. Broil on high for 10-15 minutes, or until the skin has begun to bubble. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
• Add roasted red peppers, gochujang, kimchi, miso paste, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, and white pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until relatively smooth.
• Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the liquid from the blended sauce into a medium-sized pot or high-walled pan. Reserve the strained solids and set aside.
• Bring strained sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Add coconut cream and stir until blended. Simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes, or reduce to low until all other elements are prepared.
• Prepare udon noodles according to package directions, strain, and toss with sesame oil. Set aside.
• In a small saute pan, add the strained sauce solids, 1 tsp light oil, and mushrooms. Fry on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the mushrooms have begun to crisp. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a large nonstick skillet, add the remaining light oil and heat to high. When the oil has begun to lightly sizzle, crack 1 egg into the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the whites have completely cooked but the yolk remains runny. Repeat with the three remaining eggs.*
• Add gochugaru and cooked udon noodles to the warm sauce, and toss to coat completely. Serve topped with fried mushrooms, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and two fried eggs each. Enjoy!

Notes

*The eggs will bubble and pop while frying, so I recommend tilting the pan away from you as you’re cooking. Don’t step away from the stove! Eggs cook very quickly and will easily burn if left unattended.