POV: you're craving refreshing noodles after a hard workout - this time, i wanted cold noodles, something incredibly refreshing
Alice Sun (@alicecsun) shares a unique view into her life through the ways she uses food to nurture wellness, cross cultural divides, and bring people together, all through the medium of storytelling.
Alice Sun
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May 19, 2026
It’s always after the workouts, when the cravings are the most simple, clear, and undeniable. after this particularly hard trail run with 2000 ft of elevation, i came home knowing exactly what i wanted: cold udon, in ice cold broth, with thinly sliced beef that’s been sauteed in a slightly sweet + salty sauce.
I knew exactly the flavors i wanted, and with none of the restaurants nearby offering what i wanted, i had to take matters in to my own hands.
For the noodles, i knew i wanted udon that i could grab from the store, but the topping took a bit of thinking. i definitely wanted something with beef and onion, the perfect pairing of flavors, with a simple straightforward trio of sauces that always tastes good: soy sauce, mirin, sake, and a little sugar.
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The broth comes together easy, with a bit of concentrate + water, but the ice takes it to the next level. so here’s how to make your own, when you find yourself craving cold, refreshing, noodles that serves 2…
Combine the beef (1 lb) with the soy sauce (1 Tbsp), mirin (1 Tbsp), sake (1 Tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), and white onion (½) in a bowl.
Let marinate in the fridge for 10-15 mins while prepping the other ingredients.
To cook the soft boiled egg (1), place the egg in a pot with an inch of water that been heated on high till boiling.
Let the egg simmer in the pot for 6 mins before dropping in ice cold water to stop the cooking process.
Slice up the japanese spring onion (½) into 1 in chunks, then heat up a pan.
Add the marinated beef and white onions, along with the rest of the marinade.
Cook until the beef is browned, the onions have softened.
Place the udon noodles (14 oz) in boiling water and let cook for ~3 mins.
In the meantime, make the broth, combining the mentsuyu (2 Tbsp), with the water (¾ cup), and ice cubes (a few).
To serve, place the beef on top of the udon noodles and pour in the broth or take some udon, a few pieces of beef, and dunk into the broth, slurping directly out of the broth bowl!
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