Delicious noodle bowls are a staple in Japan. However, it can be astounding when faced with all the different and delicious options. One that you might not have heard of is the noodle soup of Chinese origin, Nagasaki Chanpon. As a traditional dish in Nagasaki, this hearty meal was meant as a healthy dish to fill up its people. Filled with fish, protein and vegetables, chanpon is the ideal meal for a party or simply for a night in by yourself.
Nagasaki Chanpon
What you will need: (serves 2 people)
Soup
pork stock
1 cup
chicken stock
1 cup
mirin
2 tbsp
soy sauce
2 tbsp
ginger paste
1 tbsp
oyster sauce
2 tbsp
sugar
1 tsp
milk
1 cup
salt and pepper to taste
Add-ins
Chanpon noodles
11 oz.
pork belly
1.4 oz.
shrimp
2.5 oz.
squid
2 oz.
2 kamaboko slices per person
cabbage
60g
bean sprouts
50g
cooking oil
Optional:
- ¼ carrot
- 2 spring onions
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 shiitake mushrooms
(Optional Notes: There are many ingredients that you can add for taste to your Nagasaki Chanpon. It is purely personal choice and there is no way to make it wrong. Just make sure the soup base is correct then add till your heart is content. )
How to Cook It:Soup
1
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the Chanpon noodles. These will take approximately 2 minutes to cook.2
Strain the noodles and set aside.3
In another pot, combine the chicken and pork stock.4
Add the soy sauce, mirin, ginger paste, oyster sauce and sugar and mix well.5
Once the mixture is at a boil, add the milk.6
The soup mixture is done. Add salt and pepper to taste.
How to Cook It:Additions
1
Start cleaning the squid and slicing into rings (if you want to prepare traditionally, you can score the squid which will allow for a better texture when eating and allow it to cook more evenly). At this time, you can also peel and devein the shrimp if necessary.2
Chop up the carrot, spring onions, cabbage and prepare the snow peas (chop and prepare any extra ingredients that you may want to add during this time).3
Chop the pork belly into thin slices.4
Add cooking oil to the wok and add pork belly. Once it is no longer pink, add the shrimp and squid.5
Add ingredients based on how long they will cook in 30 second to 1 minute time frames. Start with the carrot and onion. Then finally, add the cabbage, kamaboko, bean sprouts and mushrooms.6
Add salt and pepper to taste.7
Combine the soup with the other ingredients in the wok and mix thoroughly.8
Add to a bowl and enjoy!
Yum!
Final Thought
There are a variety of ways that you can make Nagasaki Chanpon and it can hardly taste anything less than delicious. This can also make a delicious stir fry if you subtract the soup base from the recipe. If you wish to add spice, feel free to add some chili paste or chopped chilies to your recipe. We hope that this has convinced you to try this dish if you haven’t already. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.