- 1 pound dried udon
- 1 quart Broth for Hot Noodles (kakejiru; see below)
- 1 boned and skinned chicken breast, cut into 1½-inch cubes
- 4 whole scallions, the white parts cut into 1½-inch lengths crosswise, and the green parts into thin rings
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- Shichimi togarashi (seven-spice mixture; see Notes)
- 1 quart ichiban dashi
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon shoyu (soy sauce)
- 1½ teaspoons usukuchi shoyu (light-colored soy sauce), preferably, or regular shoyu
- For the Broth:
- In a medium pot, bring all the ingredients to a slow boil over low to medium heat. Use the broth immediately, or refrigerate it, covered, for up to four days. Yields 1 quart broth
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the noodles al dente, about 4 to 6 minutes or as instructed on the package. Drain the noodles in a colander, and rinse them under cold running water, rubbing them between your hands until they are cold and no longer starchy on the outside. Set them aside to drain.
- In a medium pot, bring the broth to a boil over medium heat. Add the chicken and the white parts of the scallions, and cook until the chicken is done, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked noodles to the broth, and bring the broth to a boil. Add the eggs and cook, partially covered, for 1 minute.
- Divide the noodles among three bowls, and top the noodles with the chicken and long scallion pieces. Pour in the hot broth, garnish each bowl with scallion rings, and sprinkle with seven-spice powder.