Serves 3
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
8 cups very coarsely chopped green cabbage (from about 1/2 medium head)
4 7-ounce packages instant udon noodles, flavor packets discarded
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
16 oz diced mushrooms (shiitake and cremini) options - can add one pack of veggie ground or both mushrooms and veggie ground
5 scallions, white and pale-green parts coarsely chopped, dark-green parts thinly sliced
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger (from a 1-inch knob)
2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2/3 cup mirin
2/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving
Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add cabbage and cook, tossing often, until edges are browned, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, tossing often, until thickest parts of cabbage leaves are tender, about 4 minutes longer. Remove from heat and set skillet aside.
Place udon in a large heatproof bowl (or pot if you don’t have one) and cover with 6 cups boiling water. Let sit 1 minute, stirring to break up noodles, then drain in a colander. Transfer noodles back to bowl and toss with sesame oil. Transfer cabbage to bowl with noodles. Wipe out skillet.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in same skillet over medium-high and add mushrooms/veggie ground, breaking up and spreading across surface of pan with a spatula or tongs. Cook undisturbed, until underside is brown, about 3 minutes. Add chopped scallions (the pale parts), ginger, and red pepper. Continue to cook, tossing often, until scallions are softened and bottom of skillet has started to brown, about 1 minute. Add udon mixture, mirin, and soy sauce and cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are coated in sauce (be sure to scrape bottom of skillet to dissolve any browned bits), about 45 seconds. Remove from heat and fold in 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds and dark-green parts of scallions. Top with more sesame seeds before serving.