Yakisoba

Yakisoba was born in the years after World War II, when cooks took Western-style fried noodles and gave them a distinctly Japanese sauce of Worcestershire, soy, and a touch of sweetness. Today it is the smell of summer festivals, sizzling on enormous griddles and served in paper boats, but it is just as common on weekday tables at home. The noodles are chewy, the vegetables crisp, and the whole thing comes together in one hot pan in minutes.

Saucy noodles with a smoky festival sizzle

Every strand is coated in the glossy, sweet-savory sauce, tangled with cabbage, carrot, and slices of pork, and finished with a storm of pickled ginger and crumbled nori. High heat gives the noodles a light char that makes them taste like they came straight off a street cart. A drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise on top is optional but very much in the spirit of things, and a cold beer alongside makes it a festival at home.

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