Go Back
–+ servings

Sobameshi (Yakisoba Fried Rice)

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients 
 

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp tomato ketchup
  • ⅛ tsp smoked paprika powder unsweetened
  • ⅛ tsp Japanese style curry powder or any curry powder mix

Topping ideas

Instructions 

  • Start by preparing your vegetables. Peel ¼ carrot and roughly dice it into small cubes. Cut 1 green bell pepper and 150 g green cabbage to a similar size.
    diced carrot and green bell pepper, and finely diced cabbage on a wooden cutting board
  • Cut 150 g yakisoba noodles (pre-steamed) block into strips about 1-2cm thick.
    yakisoba noodles cut into small pieces on a wooden cutting board
  • Finely chop 150 g thinly sliced pork belly into small pieces by rocking your knife back and forth in different directions. Alternatively, use ground pork.
    thinly sliced pork belly cut into small pieces on a white cutting board
  • In a bowl mix 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp tomato ketchup, ⅛ tsp smoked paprika powder and ⅛ tsp Japanese style curry powder. Set by the stove for later.
    mixing soba-meshi sauce in a glass bowl on a white background
  • Heat a non-stick pan on medium and add 1 tsp cooking oil. Once hot, add 1 clove garlic and the pork belly. Season with 1 pinch salt and pepper and fry until the fat starts to render out. Then, push the pork to one side, increase the heat to high and add the noodles. Fry undisturbed until crispy, then flip the noodles and repeat on the other side. Stir the pork occasionally to prevent burning.
    thinly sliced pork belly and yakisoba noodles frying in a pan on the stove top
  • Add the vegetables along with another sprinkle of salt and mix well.
    carrot, green bell pepper and cabbage mixed with yakisoba noodles and pork bell in a large frying pan on the stove
  • Add 150 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice, 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder, ¼ tsp dashi granules and ½ tbsp sake. Stir fry until the rice separates and everything is evenly distributed.
    adding rice, dashi granules, chicken bouillon powder and sake to pan of stir fried vegetables and noodles to make soba-meshi
  • Pour the sauce into the pan and stir until all the ingredients are lightly coated.
    adding sauce to soba-meshi in a frying pan on the stove top
  • Pour 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) around the edge of the pan, then stir fry for another minute. If your pan is quite shallow, make a space and pour the soy sauce directly onto the pan, let it darken slightly before mixing it into the rest of the ingredients.
    adding soy sauce to soba-meshi in a frying pan on the stove top
  • Add 3 tbsp tempura flakes (tenkasu) and mix thoroughly before removing the pan from the heat.
    adding tenkasu to soba meshi in a frying pan on the stove with wooden spatula
  • Transfer to serving plates and drizzle with a touch of toasted sesame oil. Top with bonito flakes (katsuobushi), aonori (dried green seaweed powder), red pickled ginger (benishoga) and sunny-side-up eggs (optional). Enjoy!
    soba meshi topped with bonito flakes, aonori and pink pickled ginger on a black plate on a white background

Notes

  • Prep all ingredients, measure sauces, spices, and oils before heating the pan.
  • Use day-old, cold rice to keep grains separate and avoid a gummy texture.
  • Serving ideas: Tofu & Wakame Miso Soup, Egg Drop Soup, Spinach Ohitashi Salad, Pickled Napa Cabbage
  • Store cooled sobameshi in airtight containers in the fridge (eat within 1–2 days) or tightly frozen for 2–3 weeks; thaw overnight or in the microwave, then reheat in a hot pan until piping hot.