It is believed that yakisoba was derived from chowmein, which are stir-fried Chinese-style noodles with soy sauce. Yakisoba originated in Japan in 1950, post World War-II. During that time, the price tags on flour were high and so common people could not buy it. And so, cooks used cabbage, which was a cheaper ingredient, to increase the volume of yakisoba. Initially, Japanese cooks seasoned yakisoba with soy sauce or salt, but the water that the cabbage released affected the taste and Worcester sauce began to be used in place of it. Candy and snack shops in Japan began selling yakisoba and it became popular with children. It became a way for them to fill their stomachs when there was food insecurity. Later, it came to be a dish that families made at home and restaurants serving yakisoba grew in number, too. This recipe uses pork, which can be substituted with beef.
