I think a lot of people watch Netflix now, especially since lockdown. I do as well. I want to introduce one of the foods from Netflix TV drama, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories. If you watch this, you’ll feel like eating kitsune udon.

wHAT is IT ABOUT?

It is set in a small shokudou which is a casual restaurant or cafeteria that serves a variety of inexpensive Japanese dishes and alcoholic drinks. The master is open only from midnight to 7am. This drama depicts a warm exchange between the master and the guests. In addition, this shokudou’s master cooks whatever food the guests feel like. So, the food plays a really important role in this drama. It also looks really delicious and typical Japanese food is often served. It always makes me want to eat it when I see it.

Midnight Diner food: what is Kitsune Udon?

Kitsune udon is shown in season 2, episode 7 of Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories. It is one of the famous types of udon. It is made with thick udon noodles served in a dashi-based soup stock with a large piece of aburaage (deep-fried tofu) which boiled with sugar, soy sauce, and water. Kitsune means “fox” in Japanese, but this kitsune actually is about aburaage which is deep-fried tofu. Although there are different theories on why aburaage is referred to as a fox, one being because aburaage is the favorite food of fox.

Here is aburaage. You can buy it at Asian supermarket and it is usually sold in a freezer.

Let’s make kitsune udon!

Cooking time:
Serves 2

Aburaage

Ingredients

• 2 aburaage (deep-fried tofu)

Seasonings

• 150 ml water

• 15ml soy sauce

• 18g sugar

Udon

Ingredients

• 500g (250g per person) Udon noodles

• a sprinkling of spring onion

Seasonings

• 600ml bonito broth

• 23.5ml cooking sake

• 5ml light soy sauce

• 6g salt

Method

1. Chop the spring onion and put aside

2. Remove aburaage’s excess oil by pressing firmly with kitchen paper

3. Put all aburaage seasoning and aburaage in the pot. Heat it on medium, drop a piece of aluminum foil directly on top to cover it entirely when it is boiling, turn the heat down to low, then slowly cook for 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and let cool. (Leaving the lid on is okay.)

5. Put all udon seasoning in the pot to make the udon soup and heat it up.

6. Bring a large pot of water to boil for udon noodles and boil it following packet instructions.

8. Pour the noodles into a small mesh colander with a bowl to drain water when it is ready.

9. Put udon, soup, and aburaage in the serving bowls.

10. Toss spring onion on the aburaage. All done! Please eat while it’s hot.

Another recommended drama on Netflix

Kantaro (Ken) who is one of the owners at 279 recommended these dramas to me. These are also really good Japanese food shows, so please check it out!

1. Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman

This drama is all about sweet food in Japan, the shop which is shown actually exists in Japan. The main character’s name is the same with our owner! Which is a surprise since his name is not the most common. Kantaro is an elite publishing sales rep in the drama. When he wraps up his client visits in record time, he can secretly pursue his quest to indulge in the tastiest of sweets. Kantaro has a really unique personality, so it’s a great comedy-drama.

2. Samurai Gourmet

This drama also shows Japanese dishes. The cooking scenes are really amazing. Takeshi is the main character and is a recently retiree. This is the story that he rediscovers his passion for food and life by getting in touch with his inner warrior and eating what he truly desires. This is sort of fusion of fantasy and food drama.

Writer: Yuki Takatani

Reference:
*1 Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories
*2 「たぬき」と「きつね」の由来は？地域毎の違いも紹介！ | 食・料理
*3 きつねうどん（関西風）のレシピ・作り方 ｜ 【味の素パーク】の料理・レシピサイト‐レシピ大百科 : うどんや油揚げを使った料理
*4 Samurai Gourmet, Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman