In an effort to save money, my husband and I have been having date night at home. And because we’re big dorks, we’ve decided to match our meals with our movies.

This past week, we sat down to watch Akira Kurosawa’s classic 1954 action drama, Seven Samurai. And let me tell you, it’s an amazing movie. Yes, it’s long, but it’s a must-see for any fan of the cinema.

As for the food, I settled on yet another recipe from the Vegan Yum Yum cookbook. I know, I know, it seems like every recipe that I make is from there, but what can I say? I was looking for an Asian-inspired dish that was both cheap and delicious, and the Seven Spice Udon recipe certainly fit the bill. (Get it? Seven Samurai and Seven Spice Udon — clever, huh?)

I did have to make a separate trip to my local Asian food market to pick up the Japanese Seven Spice (also called Nanami Togarashi or Shichimi Togarashi), but the spice mixture is what makes the dish. And it’s cheap; I picked up a jar for $1.99. It’s a mixture of chili pepper, orange peel, black and white sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, ginger, and seaweed. And a bit of a warning: it packs some heat, so don’t get too carried away with it as I did when I first made the dish. It was painful.

Also, I modified the recipe a bit to include more veggies, and in doing so, I increased the tamari and vinegar amounts. I also added sesame seeds for garnish and a little more texture.

Seven Spice Udon

Ingredients:

8 to 9 ounce package of udon noodles

2 to 3 tbsp oil (I used toasted sesame oil)

10 Brussel sprouts, shredded

5 small carrots, sliced thinly

1 ¾ tsp Japanese Seven Spice

4 tbsp low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

3 tbsp brown rice vinegar

sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Cook the udon noodles according to the directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and add a little sesame oil to coat and prevent them from sticking together.

Heat half of the oil in a non-stick sauté pan and add the Brussel sprouts, carrots, and ¼ tsp of the Japanese Seven Spice to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes, or until just tender. Take out and set aside.

In the same pan, heat the rest of the oil and add the cooked udon noodles. Let them cook for a few minutes over high heat until they start to form a crispy noodle pancake.

Turn the noodles and add the vegetables, tamari, rice vinegar, and remaining Seven Spice.

Top with sesame seeds and serve.

I could easily see myself craving this dish on a regular basis. I made it in about 15 minutes, which is less time than it would take to order take-out. Next time, I might also add some shelled edamame for extra crunch.

Enjoy!!