As a father of two boys, like most parents I’m concerned with what my kids eat, and none more so than when we go to a festival or a market for the afternoon. However luckily, here in Japan there are some relatively health choices when it comes to such occasions, and a family favorite of ours is, Yakisoba.

Yakisoba 焼きそば is basically soba noodles with pork and vegetables, pan fried and coated in a thick sweet brown sauce.

It’s also one of those meals that has made its way from street-food to the household dinner table, or vice versa. And unlike dishes such as Nabe (hot pot), which is mostly eaten in the winter, Yakisoba is rather cross-seasonal. Also with the exception of instant noodles, it would have to be one of the most easiest dishes to cook, if you wanted to try it at home.

All you’d need is a small carrot, a half an onion, a quarter cabbage, some thinly cut pork, a packet of soba noodles, and of course some Yakisoba sauce. Simple as that!

You could add a little salt and pepper during the cooking, and garnish it with aonori (seaweed powder). Traditionally, It’s also served with a little picked ginger on the side.

However in addition to all this, I like to add mayonnaise and katsuobushi (fish flakes).

Having said that, this is just the traditional, or standard way it is served, but like all good dishes you can always change it to cater to your tastes. I’ve had it with mushrooms, bean sprouts, and even without the pork. In fact, I’m sure every household has their own special ingredient that the family prefers. Therefore, when it comes to this dish, you can’t go wrong, and the kids love it.

Thank you,

Craig Atkinson. 

Hello, I’m a father, husband, coffee lover, and  freelance writer living in Tokyo, Japan. You can find me or contact on twitter @writersinjapan. 

Craig is a guest writer here on JustJapanStuff and we are really happy to have him join the team and share some great content about Japan with all of you!