Noodles ── Udon
Chikara Udon
Chikara udon — kake udon topped with a piece of grilled mochi
Kake udon topped with a piece of grilled mochi. The name is said to trace to mochi's reputation as a food that "gives you strength," carrying more calories than plain rice. In the Kinki region it is also called kachin udon, from okachin, an old courtly word for mochi.
Lineage
What it's made of
Chikara udon is kake udon topped with a piece of mochi, grilled until fragrant. The mochi soaks up the broth and softens, adding a chewy texture distinct from the noodle itself. Its higher calorie count compared with plain rice is said to be behind the name, which reads roughly as "strength udon."
How it's made
Mochi is grilled until fragrant, then added to a bowl of kake udon's broth. Timing when it goes in is said to matter, since letting it soak too long in the broth softens it past the point of interest. In the Kinki region it also goes by kachin udon, said to derive from okachin, an old courtly word for mochi.
Why it took this shape
Mochi has long been thought of as a food that gives strength, and that association is said to be behind the udon's name. The National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations has designated August 21 — falling between Udon Day and Mochi Day — as a day to eat chikara udon and soba together, positioned as an occasion to keep mochi's food culture alive.
Before you go
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Dishes in the same style
- Bukkake UdonUdon boiled and chilled in cold water, then doused directly with a concentrated sauce. Scallion and grated daikon go on top, and mixing everything together boldly is said to be the standard way of eating it. A hot version, using warm broth instead, is also said to exist.
- Chitake UdonEaten around Obon in Tochigi, this pours a dashi of stir-fried chitake mushroom and eggplant over udon. It's said to have arisen where udon kneaded for Obon met a mushroom that appears only in summer.