Unzen-Kinoko's Sara-Udon

This was Sara-Udon, crispy noodles covered with seafood, vegetables and thicken savory sauce.

It was one of noodle packs from my favorite Unzen-Kinoko Honpo. Sara-Udon, means Plate-Japanese thick wheat-flour noodle although the noodle doesn't look like Udon. I don't know from where the name came. Sara-Udon is a native Nagasaki dish, where Unzen-Kinoko Honpo is located, and obviously is related with Chinese cuisine. 

Nagasaki, facing East China Sea on Japan's southwest island Kyushu, has an old relationship with China as well as Europe. It was found by a Portuguese ship in the 16th century and flourished as a center of trade with the outside of Japan. Also it had the only harbor in Japan to open for foreign trade (but limited to trade with the Netherlands and China) under supervision of the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period when the government had enacted the strict foreign relations policy that no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country, so-called Sakoku.

Through the trading businesses, thousands of Chinese people moved to Nagasaki and their culture has melted into that of Nagasaki. Cooking wasn't an exception. Chinese people opened many Chinese restaurants there and served dishes made with fresh local seafood. Sara-Udon, apparently invented by a Chinese chef around 1900 during the Meiji period, was one of great outcomes from the unique history.

Although I have never been to Nagasaki and don't know a real Sara-Udon, Unzen-Kinoko Honpo's Sara-Udon was very delicious with a lot of seafood and vegetables (mainly mushrooms, of course), and so easy to make. Until I happen to get a chance to visit Nagasaki, I will be happy with this instant Sara-Udon noodle pack.