A Stranger’s Kindness, a Homestay Kitchen, and the Flavor of Miso

Enjoy a Miso Udon Noodle Recipe and a Short Story from My Time in Kyoto, Japan

I’m still on a mission to use up all the condiments in my fridge before the big move (see my previous newsletter for more on my moving musings). So, since I recently shared a recipe for miso dressing and still have miso paste left in my fridge, I’m excited to offer another dish that showcases this versatile ingredient.

You can read more about how I first discovered miso in the Food for Thought section, but first, a Miso Udon Noodle recipe.

This Miso Udon Noodle recipe isn’t tied to any one culinary tradition. It’s a blend of techniques and flavors borrowed from several cultures. It combines savory Japanese miso and chewy udon noodles with a creamy, flavor-packed sauce inspired by Southeast Asian cuisines, using peanut butter and coconut milk for richness.

I've prepared this dish in a few different ways—once with soft-boiled eggs and steamed bok choy, and another time with ground meat, finely chopped carrots, and onions. The version below is the one I found the easiest; however, the real beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility. The noodles and sauce create a solid base, so feel free to mix and match with whatever vegetables or proteins you have on hand. Cook the noodles, stir together the sauce, and then top with shredded rotisserie chicken, crispy tofu, a bag of frozen broccoli, or some pre-shredded carrots, whatever works.

Noodles and Sauce

• 9.5-10 ounces udon noodles (I like Hakubaku Organic Udon Noodles)

• 1 can (13.5–14 oz) full-fat coconut milk (I like Native Forest because it is BPA free)

• 2 tablespoons white miso paste ( I use Hikari Organic Miso Paste)

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter (I like Teddie because it is MA-based)

• 1 tablespoon red pepper paste (such as sriracha or sambal oelek), optional

Protein and Vegetables

• 1 large white onion

• 3 large carrots

• 1 tablespoon oil (extra virgin olive oil, peanut, sesame, etc.)

• 1 pound ground meat (pork, chicken, or unseasoned seitan for a vegetarian option)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

• 1 tablespoon red pepper paste (such as sriracha or sambal oelek), optional

• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons water

• OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: thinly sliced green onions, fresh lime wedge, chopped cilantro.

Note: This dish might be overly salty for some. To reduce the saltiness, replace the red pepper paste with 1/4 teaspoon of ground red pepper (such as cayenne) and eliminate the additional 1/2 teaspoon of salt in the protein. For a lighter choice, opt for low-fat coconut milk.

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Instructions

1. Wash and finely chop the vegetables

   Wash the carrot and peel the onion. Finely chop the carrot and onion into very small pieces (1/4-inch or about the size of your pinky nail).

2. Cook the protein and vegetables (optional)
   Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped vegetables and sauté for 5–7 minutes, until very soft. Stir in the ground meat or seitan and cook for an additional 5–7 minutes, until fully cooked and beginning to brown. Break up the meat with your spoon or spatula as you mix it. Reduce the heat to low, then add the salt (optional), red pepper paste or powder, honey or maple syrup, and water. Cook for an additional 2–3 minutes, stirring until everything is well-coated and the flavors are combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Turn off heat and let it sit until ready to serve.

3. Cook the udon noodles
   Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, turn off the heat and drain the noodles in a colander. Rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking. Let the noodles rest in the colander until you're ready to serve.

4. Make the sauce
   In the same pot you used to boil the noodles, combine the coconut milk, miso paste, peanut butter, and red pepper paste or powder (optional) over low heat. Stir gently until the mixture is smooth, warmed through, and the peanut butter is fully dissolved. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Turn off the heat to prevent overcooking.

5. Assemble the dish
   Add about 1/2 cup of noodles to a large bowl. Top with about 1/2-3/4 cup of the ground meat mixture, then ladle about 1/2 cup of the sauce over the meat, vegetables, and noodles. Serve as is or with a lime wedge and/or chopped green onion or cilantro. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2–3 days.

In college, I was determined to study abroad. I had taken French for most of my life and was set on spending a semester smoking cigarettes and eating croissants on cobblestone streets. To increase my odds of making this dream a reality, I applied to five different programs—four in France and one called Semester at Sea, which a friend had casually mentioned in passing.

I was overjoyed to be accepted into all four French programs. However, that excitement quickly faded when the tuition bills came in. As I was funding my own college education, I needed to limit my study abroad costs to my typical tuition expenses, and studying in France was far beyond what I could afford.

Then came the final letter from Semester at Sea. Not only was I accepted, but I’d also been awarded a scholarship that covered 12 college credits, room and board, and three meals a day, all while sailing the world, for just $6,000 per semester. That was less than I was paying at my home university! I didn’t think twice. I signed the papers on October 28. By January 8, I was on my way to board the ship.

Semester at Sea is a unique study abroad program conducted aboard a ship, allowing students to travel the world while earning college credit. Throughout the semester, we took classes on board while at sea. When we docked, classes were paused, and we were free to roam and explore, making the world our classroom.

In the few short months before departure, I scrambled to get five vaccinations, six country visas, and—as advised by the orientation pamphlet—currency for each port of call. I stuffed all the bills into a giant Ziploc bag, feeling extremely prepared… until I realized I had mistakenly gotten Dominican pesos instead of East Caribbean dollars for our stop in Dominica (not to be confused with the Dominican Republic).

Our journey began in the Bahamas and continued to Dominica, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa (Cape Town), Mauritius, India, Vietnam, Singapore, China, and Japan, with a final stop in Hawaii before completing the voyage in California. We attended lectures and submitted assignments while at sea, and when we docked, we were let out to explore the countries we had studied.

Given that I had next to no money, my adventures were scrappy and inventive. I sought connection with locals who were kind enough to show me around for free and spent hours chatting with shopkeepers to uncover the best street food I could afford with whatever coins I had in my pocket. I didn’t have a smartphone, so I was often entirely in the hands of strangers—and honestly, I was met with nothing but generosity. The world can be dark and scary, but it can also be overwhelmingly kind.

There are a million stories from that trip, but I want to focus on Japan, because that’s where I first tasted miso, the most satisfying flavor I’ve ever known.

Once we docked in Japan, I left the ship with my backpack, heading toward a stranger’s home in Kyoto—someone I had connected with online through a website that paired local families with travelers in exchange for English conversation. We had set a date and a meeting place, and I printed the directions from MapQuest using the ship’s shared computer. I was ready!

However, as soon as I stepped off the dock, I realized I was utterly lost. Desperately searching for street signs to correlate with my paper map, I aimlessly roamed the streets, distinctly an outsider in an unfamiliar place. Then, out of nowhere, a small, older man approached and gently tapped me on the shoulder. He didn’t speak English, but his eyes were kind and steady. I showed him the address on my printout. Without hesitation, he motioned for me to follow him. He walked me to the nearest subway station, paid for my fare, and rode alongside me for ten stops.

When we arrived, he led me out of the station, pointed in the direction of my meeting place, bowed slightly, and quietly walked away—back the way we came, toward wherever he had initially been heading. We never spoke. But that stranger, an angel, guided me to safety.

In preparation for our meeting, I had instructed the host family to look for a short, young woman with dark brown hair, wearing a green raincoat and an orange traveler’s backpack. Unfortunately, they hadn’t given me any description in return, so I stood alone at our meeting spot, awkwardly waiting, hoping someone would recognize me.

Within minutes, a cheerful woman and her two children came around the corner, all smiles. “I am Mio,” she said warmly. “Are you Olivia?” I grinned and nodded, relieved. I waved to the two kids, who shyly peeked up at me from behind their mother.

I spent just under two weeks in Japan and was lucky enough to spend about a week of that time with Mio’s family. She took me to see the cherry blossoms and visit ancient temples—but what I loved most was her deep love of food. She introduced me to her favorite ramen shops, pastries, and once she learned I loved to cook, she began giving me lessons in her kitchen.

A grainy photo of the cherry blossoms in Kyoto, Japan taken on my shitty digital camera.

Every morning, Mio served me a fried egg, meant to be eaten with chopsticks, and a bowl of miso soup, with the option of toast or rice. Then, for dinner, she taught me how to make sushi rice, fry tempura, and prepare a dish called Okonomiyaki, a type of cabbage pancake.

Okonomiyaki with fried eggs and ham, cooked right at the table.

I don’t have any photos of us cooking together (this was before social media turned every moment into something that had to be documented). Still, I do have the picture above of our Okonomiyaki and a picture of us playing Just Dance on Wii below :)

A photo of me getting my butt kicked in Just Dance on Wii.

And best of all, I have a photo of the dish that changed my palate: miso udon noodle soup with egg and shrimp tempura. It was incredibly savory, without relying on meat—salty, almost too salty, but perfectly balanced by the creaminess of the broth. After one bite, I looked up at Mio and asked, “What is that flavor?” She giggled and said, “Miso. Miso makes everything taste delicious.”