São Paulo-style yakisoba

Ingredients

• 90 ml (6 tablespoons)Worcestershire sauce
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)oyster sauce
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)ketchup
• 20 ml (4 teaspoons)soy sauce
• 16 g (4 teaspoons)sugar
• 400 gfresh or dried egg noodles (ramen noodles)
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons) + 15 ml (1 tablespoon)sesame oil
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon)ground white pepper
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)sunflower oil
• 250 gpork belly, cut into strips
• 100 gonion, thinly sliced
• 2 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
• 4fresh or rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 150 gcarrot, cut into thin strips
• 150 gwhite cabbage, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 100 gspring onions or young onions with their leaves, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 12large prawns, heads removed, peeled and deveined
• about 15 g (⅔ cup)katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons)nori seaweed powder
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons)pickled red ginger
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons)toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the sauce

   Combine the Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, soy sauce and sugar in a bowl, then set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the noodles

   Bring enough water to cover the noodles to the boil in a large frying pan or saucepan. Salt the water lightly, add the noodles and cook for 1 minute less than the packet instructions. Rinse under cold running water, drain thoroughly and toss with 10 ml (2 teaspoons) sesame oil. Set aside.

3. 3

   Prepare the ingredients

   Stir the white pepper into the yakisoba sauce and set it aside. Prepare the remaining ingredients so they are ready to add to the pan.

4. 4

   Stir-fry everything

   Heat the sunflower oil in a wok or large frying pan until it begins to smoke. Stir-fry the pork belly for 2–3 minutes without browning it. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the shiitake, carrot and cabbage. Cook for a couple more minutes, until the carrot and cabbage are tender but still crisp. Add the spring onions and prawns and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until the prawns are cooked. Add the noodles and sauce. Use tongs to lift and drop the ingredients together until combined, then add the katsuobushi and keep tossing until the noodles are evenly coloured and the sauce starts to caramelise.

5. 5

   Add the toppings

   Divide the yakisoba between individual bowls. Sprinkle with the nori powder, pickled red ginger and toasted sesame seeds, then serve.

What is São Paulo-style yakisoba?

Yakisoba is a Japanese-inspired stir-fried noodle dish, and versions such as this one are popular in Brazil, particularly in São Paulo. This recipe pairs noodles with pork, prawns and a colourful mix of vegetables.

The combination of Worcestershire, oyster, soy and ketchup sauces gives the noodles a savoury, tangy coating. Bonito flakes, nori, ginger and sesame bring extra savoury depth and contrast at the end.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 780 calories, 31g protein, 82g carbs, 37g fat.

The noodles and sugar provide most of the carbohydrates, while pork belly and the cooking oils contribute much of the fat. Pork and prawns supply the protein, with sauces adding a substantial share of the sodium. Balance a bowl with extra plain greens or a crisp salad, and keep added salty sauces to a minimum.

Build the sauce first

Sauce mix: Combine the five sauce ingredients before you start stir-frying, so they can be poured in as soon as the noodles go into the pan.

White pepper: Stir it into the sauce separately, as directed, rather than adding it to the first bowl of sauce ingredients.

Keep the noodles springy

Slightly undercook: Boil the noodles for 1 minute less than the packet says, since they will finish cooking in the wok.

Rinse and drain: Cold water stops the cooking, while thorough draining helps the sauce cling instead of becoming watery. Tossing with the measured sesame oil helps keep them from sticking while you prepare the rest.

Cook in stages

Pork and aromatics: Start with the pork, then add onion and garlic so their flavours have time to mingle with the pan juices.

Vegetables and prawns: Give the carrot and cabbage a brief stir-fry so they soften but retain some bite. Add the prawns with the spring onions near the end; the recipe calls for about 1 minute, or just until the prawns are cooked.

Toss for an even coating

Lift and drop: Use tongs to raise portions of noodles and vegetables and let them fall back into the pan. Repeat until the sauce reaches all the ingredients without crushing the vegetables.

Caramelising sauce: Keep tossing after adding the bonito flakes, stopping when the noodles are evenly coloured and the sauce starts to caramelise.

Finish with contrasting toppings

Savoury finish: Katsuobushi and nori add a sea-savoury note, while toasted sesame contributes a nutty aroma.

Bright accent: Pickled red ginger cuts through the rich pork and gives each bowl a sharp, tangy contrast. Serve the toppings over the noodles rather than stirring them in.

Serve it as a complete meal

The noodles, pork, prawns and vegetables make this a substantial one-pan dish. Serve it straight away while the noodles are glossy and the vegetables still have some bite.

For a fresh counterpoint, serve alongside a simple salad or extra lightly cooked greens. Keep additional sauce on the side rather than making the pan wetter.

Recipe notes & tips

• Prepare and cut all the vegetables before heating the wok, as the stir-fry moves quickly.
• Use a wok or the largest frying pan available to give the ingredients room to toss.
• Drain the noodles thoroughly after rinsing so excess water does not dilute the sauce.
• Keep the carrot and cabbage moving, and stop cooking once they are tender but still crisp.
• Add the prawns only at the stage specified and cook just until they are done.
• Toss the bonito flakes through the noodles, then reserve the nori, ginger and sesame for the bowls.

Variations

• Use chicken: Replace the pork belly with thin strips of chicken and cook them through before adding the vegetables.
• Add more greens: Increase the cabbage or spring onions for a vegetable-forward bowl.
• Try a different mushroom: Use sliced mushrooms in place of shiitake if needed.
• Make it less rich: Use a leaner cut of pork in place of pork belly.
• Adjust the finish: Serve the pickled ginger on the side for diners to add as they like.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the noodles: They continue cooking in the wok, so boil them for 1 minute less than the packet time.
• Leaving water on the noodles: Drain them well after rinsing so the sauce can coat them evenly.
• Crowding a small pan: The ingredients can steam rather than stir-fry; use a large wok or frying pan.
• Cooking the vegetables too long: Stop when the carrot and cabbage are tender but still crisp.
• Adding prawns too early: Put them in with the spring onions near the end and cook until done.
• Skipping the final toss: Lift and drop the noodles with tongs until the sauce is evenly distributed.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and eat within 2 days. Reheat in a frying pan over a medium heat, stirring until hot throughout; add a small splash of water if the noodles seem dry. The toppings are best added just before serving.

Frequently asked questions