Curry Fish Ball Udon in a Jar (Microwave Meal)
This is the recipe I teach first when I show people the 叠叠锅 jar method, and there's a reason for that. It's the most forgiving, the most flavorful, and the most...
This is the recipe I teach first when I show people the 叠叠锅 jar method, and there's a reason for that. It's the most forgiving, the most flavorful, and the most satisfying proof that a microwave can make a real meal. Udon noodles on the bottom. Onion, potato, carrot in the middle. Fish balls on top with a Japanese curry cube. Add hot water, cover, microwave 8 minutes. The curry cube melts into a rich, golden broth that soaks into every noodle. My kids go crazy for this one.
And yes, this is also a freezer meal. I'll show you exactly how at the bottom of this post.
Ingredients (1 serving)
• 200g cooked udon noodles (vacuum-packed, found in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores)
• ¼ cup sliced onion
• ½ cup diced potato, 1 cm cubes
• ⅓ cup diced carrot
• 6–8 fish balls
• 1 Japanese curry cube
• 1 cup hot water (added when ready to cook, NOT during prep)
Instructions
1. In a 32 oz wide-mouth glass jar, layer in this exact order: udon noodles first → onion → potato → carrot → fish balls on top.
2. Place the curry cube on top of the fish balls.
3. If packing for work: seal the jar and refrigerate. Keep it dry until you're ready to eat.
4. When ready to cook: add 1 cup of hot water (about halfway up the jar). Do not add more or the broth will be too thin.
5. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Poke 3–4 holes with a fork or toothpick to vent the steam.
6. Microwave on high for 8 minutes.
7. At the 4-minute mark, pause the microwave and give the jar a good shake. This helps the curry cube melt evenly throughout, don't skip this step.
8. Let sit 1 minute before eating. The broth thickens slightly as it rests.
Chinese Mom Tips
• Follow the layering order exactly, it is not decorative. The potato and carrot need direct liquid contact at the bottom. Fish balls cook best at the top where steam hits them first.
• 1 cup of hot water is the maximum. The udon noodles release moisture as they heat. Too much water = soggy noodles and thin broth. Do not be tempted to add more.
• No coconut milk. The curry cube does all the work. Coconut milk makes the broth too thick and too rich for the microwave method.
• The halfway shake is not optional. The curry cube sits at the top and only melts evenly when you redistribute the liquid. This is the step people skip and then wonder why they have undissolved curry at the bottom.
Safety
Poke 4–5 vent holes in the plastic wrap before microwaving. Use a kitchen towel to handle the hot jar. Wait 1 full minute before opening, tilt the lid away from your face. Never use a thin repurposed jar. See full safety guide in the hub post.
Cook time: 8 minutes
Liquid level: 1 cup hot water, about halfway up the jar
Freezer friendly: Yes, see below
Freezer Hack #1, Curry Fish Ball Udon
Everything in this recipe freezes well except the raw potato. Raw potato turns grainy and mushy after freezing, not good. You have two options.
Option A: Pre-cook the potato before freezing (recommended)
1. Dice potato into 1 cm cubes.
2. Microwave method: place in a bowl, cover with water, microwave on high 3–4 minutes until just tender. Drain and cool completely before adding to the bag.
3. Blanch method: drop into boiling water for 3–4 minutes until just tender. Drain and cool completely.
4. Important: slightly undercook the potato. It will finish cooking when you microwave the frozen meal.
Option B: Leave the potato out
The recipe still works beautifully without potato. Udon, fish balls, onion, carrot, and curry cube all freeze perfectly raw.
How to freeze
1. Add all ingredients to a Ziploc freezer bag: udon noodles, onion, carrot, pre-cooked potato (or skip), fish balls, curry cube.
2. Press out all the air, seal tightly, freeze flat. Keeps up to 1 month.
How to cook from frozen
3. Remove from freezer. Tear open the bag.
4. Place the frozen block in a microwave-safe bowl, not a glass jar. The temperature shock can crack glass.
5. Add 1 cup of hot water.
6. Cover with plastic wrap, poke holes to vent.
7. Microwave on high for 12–14 minutes. Longer than fresh because you're starting from frozen.
8. At the halfway point, stir or shake to help the curry cube melt evenly.
9. Let sit 1–2 minutes. Eat.
The 12–14 minute cook time from frozen assumes a standard 1000-1100 watt microwave. If your microwave is lower wattage, add 2 more minutes. If in doubt, check at 12 minutes, the udon should be hot all the way through and the broth should be bubbling.
Part of my Raw to HOT in a Jar series, see all 7 recipes here: [LINK TO HUB POST]