Tanuki Udon

This piece is inspired by the Japanese noodle soup, tanuki udon, a very tasty combination of salty soup, chewy noodles, and crispy tempura bits. The way this soup is prepared can vary depending on the area from which it comes, but the one that has always been my favorite has soup, thick noodles, crispy bits, and a little pile of boiled spinach. In Japanese folklore, tanuki or raccoon dogs are playful and mischievous tricksters and shapeshifters, and while it is not exactly known why this dish is named after them, it is possible that it was named to match its sister dish kitsune udon or as a play on words, referring to how there is no main meat or vegetable in the dish just crispy flakes.