Chicken Yakisoba: A Quick, Authentic Japanese Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

What does yakisoba mean in Japanese? ›

Yakisoba (pronounced 'yak-kie-soh-BA') literally means grilled (yaki) buckwheat noodles (soba), although the noodles in yakisoba are confusingly not made of buckwheat, but of wheat flour and egg.

This Chicken Yakisoba is a quick stir fry, made with soba noodles, chicken, prawns and egg. The dish is all finished off with a sprinkling of crispy onions and slices of pickled ginger for a bit of fresh heat.

Lo mein is similar to yakisoba, the dish our noodles were designed for, but the sauce is as simple as oyster sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce, rather than a more complex, fruit-based concoction you find with yakisoba.

We used pre-cooked yakisoba noodles but you can use fresh or dry noodles, or ramen as well. Use a big wok or a griddle to cook everything. Typically a nice char on the veggies is what you're going for, because this will add great flavors.

Yakitori refers to pieces of chicken meat on skewers of wood. This can be enjoyed with only salt Yakitori Shio (salt) or Syoyuu (soy sauce/teriyaki sauce). Yakisoba is noodles stir fried with some vegetables and garnished with laver.

Usually, soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, but soba in yakisoba are Chinese-style noodles (chuuka soba) made from wheat flour, typically flavored with a condiment similar to Worcestershire sauce.

Which is Healthier, Udon or Soba? With its wholegrain like appearance and buckwheat heavy base, Soba is the healthier choice when it comes to your Asian noodle game. This is because buckwheat is lower in carbohydrates and lower in calories so it's a good choice for those trying to cut back.

It offers unparalleled taste and aroma. Otaf*cku yakisoba sauce makes the dish taste just like the ones prepared at street food stalls in Japan. The sauce is also good for other foods, like fried rice. Yakisoba, which means "grilled noodles”, is one of the most popular Japanese street and bar foods in Japan.

Hibachi (commonly misspelled as “habachi” or “hibatchi”) or teppanyaki noodles are traditionally made with yakisoba noodles. These round noodles are thinner than udon noodles but thicker than soba noodles and are made of buckwheat.

Yakisoba noodles: While fresh yakisoba noodles are ideal, they can be hard to come by. Dried chow mein stir-fry noodles make an excellent substitute. You can also use spaghetti. Remember, if using dried noodles, you'll need about half the amount in weight.

What noodle can I substitute for yakisoba? ›

Ramen noodles are the most similar to yakisoba noodles and are a great substitute. If you can get your hands-on fresh ramen, use that, or even fresh chow mein; otherwise instant/dried ramen noodles are super easy to find at your local grocery store.

In Japan, the wok is called a chūkanabe (中華鍋, literally "Chinese pot").

One of the most versatile cooking pans in the world, the simple design of woks originated in China and is now used the world over. The beauty of the wok lies in its round shape, which allows for even heat distribution and efficient cooking.

Real yakisoba, or yakisoba made from scratch, is significantly healthier than instant yakisoba. Many Japanese fast food companies and restaurants provide yakisoba, which has lower health hazards. A single serving of yakisoba should roughly contain 200 calories if it has stir-fried veggies and chicken as toppings.

In fact, the name “yakisoba” translates to “fried buckwheat noodles” in Japanese. While yakisoba is one of the most popular Japanese dishes right now, it's predecessor was actually an immigrant from Japan's neighboring country - China.

The word soba (蕎麦) means "buckwheat" (fa*gopyrum esculentum). The full name for buckwheat noodles is soba-kiri (蕎麦切り "sliced buckwheat"), but soba is commonly used for short. Historically, soba noodles were called nihon-soba, wa-soba, or Yamato-soba, all of which mean "Japanese soba".

Yaki udon (焼きうどん, "fried udon") is a Japanese stir-fried dish consisting of thick, smooth, white udon noodles mixed with a soy-based sauce, meat (usually pork), and vegetables.