With the cost-of-living crisis in full flight, at-home dinner parties are becoming increasingly more popular than draining our bank accounts on decadent dinners out. To help inspire your next group cook-up, we've linked up with the crew at KEWPIE, S&B and Hakubaku to ensure you're serving up a menu filled with the tastiest treats for you and your crew.
Read on to uncover two easy—and downright delicious—Japenese-inspired dishes to whip up with your mates using creamy KEWPIE sesame dressing, silky Hakubaku udon noodles and spicy S&B wasabi for an added kick (you're welcome).
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Wasabi Pork Udon
Ingredients
1 tbsp S&B Japanese Wasabi Tube Paste
270g Hakubaku Organic Japanese Udon Noodle
75g (1 ⁄4 cup) red miso paste
185ml (3⁄4 cup) oyster sauce
250ml (1 cup) water
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
750g pork mince
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
4 stems of spring onions, thinly sliced
Black or white sesame seeds, to serve
Finely chopped fresh red chilli, to serve
Japanese-Style Cabbage Salad
KEWPIE Japanese Dressing Roasted Sesame 210ml
½ large head of cabbage, cored and shredded
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup almond slivers
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
Method
Wasabi Pork Udon
Step 1. Combine the S&B Japanese Wasabi Tube Paste, red miso paste, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar and 250ml (1 cup) water in a bowl until smooth.
Step 2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the pork mince and cook stirring occasionally for four minutes or until it just starts to brown. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the wasabi-miso mixture and half the spring onions. Toss to combine. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for four to five minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.
Step 3. Meanwhile, cook the Hakubaku Organic Japanese Udon Noodle following packet directions. Drain.
Step 4. Add noodles to pan and toss to combine then divide among serving bowls. Sprinkle with white sesame seeds, red chilli and remaining spring onions to serve.
Japanese-Style Cabbage Salad:
Step 1. Combine cabbage, green onions, almonds, and sesame seeds in a large bowl.
Step 2. Pour KEWPIE Japanese Dressing Roasted Sesame over the cabbage mixture and toss until well combined.
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Crispy, Soba Spring Rolls
Noodle Ingredients
270g Hakubaku Organic Japanese Soba Noodles
Frozen Prawn Tempura (10 pc)
Rice Paper Rolls (10 pc)
Sesame Seeds and chopped spring onion for topping
Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup water
5-7 tbsp soy sauce (adjust according to desired taste)
1.5 tsp dark soy sauce
2-3 tbsp cornstarch, see notes
1-3 tbsp sugar, adjust according to desired sweetness
2 tbsp rice vinegar, adjust according to desired sourness
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tbsp chilli garlic sauce or other hot sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic minced
Dipping Sauce
2 tbsp KEWPIE Japanese Dressing Roasted Sesame
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
Method:
Step 1. In a bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients until well incorporated. Feel free to adjust the sauce ingredient measurements depending on your desired sweetness, saltiness, sourness, and spiciness then set aside.
Step 2. Meanwhile, cook the Hakubaku Organic Japanese Soba Noodles following packet directions. Drain. Tip: Try to leave them slightly undercooked, this way they won't overcook in the sauce later on.
Step 3. While the Hakubaku Organic Japanese Soba Noodles are cooking, heat a pan over medium-high. Add a little oil.
Step 4. Give the sauce a good mix again. Make sure none of the starch is stuck at the bottom. Pour the sauce into the pan. Leave the sauce to simmer for 2-3 minutes over medium heat or until the sauce starts to thicken from the starch. Continually mix the sauce to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
Step 5. When the sauce has slightly thickened, add in the Hakubaku Organic Japanese Soba Noodles to the pan. Mix the Hakubaku Organic Japanese Soba Noodles well to coat in the sauce. Cook Hakubaku Organic Japanese Soba Noodles over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Step 6. In a separate pan, follow packet instructions to air-fry or pan-fry your frozen prawn tempura. Set aside to cool.
Step 7. Dip the rice paper in a large bowl of water for about 5 seconds or until softened. Transfer the rice paper to a large plate or clean workstation. Add about 1/4-1/3 cup worth of Hakubaku Organic Japanese Soba Noodles to the centre of the rice paper and top with prawn.
Step 8. Roll the rice paper into rolls by folding in the two corners, then folding up the bottom edge and rolling into a tight roll. Set aside and repeat for all of the ingredients.
Step 9. To make the dipping sauce, mix the KEWPIE Japanese Dressing Roasted Sesame with the soy sauce.
Step 10. Using a large deep pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Carefully add the rice paper rolls and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, rotating with tongs until the rolls are lightly crisp. Remove from the pan and allow to cool, top with sesame seeds and sliced spring onion before serving with sauce.
Whip up a meal to impress your mates with the help of top-notch ingredients from KEWPIE, S&B and Hakubaku. 
Editor’s note: this article was produced in partnership with Oriental Merchants. Thank you for supporting the partners who make Urban List possible. To read our editorial policy, click here.
Images: Urban List.