Japanese Udon Soup Recipes

JAPANESE VEGAN UDON NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Gather the broth ingredients.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the vegetable broth with the pieces of ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster or mushroom sauce, chili paste, and sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce to a simmer.
• Allow broth to simmer for at least 10 minutes. Remove the pieces of ginger from broth and discard. Taste and season lightly with salt and pepper if needed.
• Gather the Chinese broccoli ingredients.
• In a separate large skillet, heat the peanut oil and add the minced ginger, garlic, and sesame oil over medium heat. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add the Chinese broccoli. Sauté for a few minutes, or until the broccoli is just tender and a lively green color. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Gather the ingredients for assembly.
• Prepare individual bowls by placing a serving of noodles in each, topping with the prepared Chinese broccoli, a generous amount of warm broth, some sliced green onions, chopped cilantro , and roasted peanuts. Serve.

JAPANESE NABEYAKI UDON SOUP

Steps:

• Heat dashi stock, chicken, carrots, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and salt in a pot over medium heat. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink in the center, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tofu, mushrooms, and bok choy, stirring until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes more.
• Stir udon noodles into broth and simmer until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add leeks and crack eggs into soup; simmer until eggs are slightly firm, about 5 minutes more.

JAPANESE UDON NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Cook the udon noodles according to the package directions; drain and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil; decrease heat to medium and add in the ginger and carrots.
• Cook until the carrots are crisp-tender, 1-2 minutes.
• Add in the snow peas and cook until slightly tender but still bright green, about 1 minute.
• Add the mushrooms, cook for 30 minutes, and remove from heat.
• Place the miso on a medium bowl and add a ladleful of hot broth.
• Whisk until the miso is completely dissolved, then stir the mixture back into the soup.
• Do not let the soup come to a boil, or the mixo will lose some of its flavor.
• Taste the soup for saltiness and add soy sauce to taste.
• Stir in the scallions.
• With tongs, place noodles in each soup bowl (allowing 3/4 cup for 6 servings, 1 1/4 cups for 4 servings).
• Ladle in the soup and serve hot.

MAKE-IT-YOUR-OWN UDON NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Prepare noodles according to package directions, and drain. Toss with a teaspoon of sesame, olive, vegetable or canola oil to prevent them from sticking together, and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil until it shimmers, and sauté the grated ginger and garlic until you smell it (less than a minute). Do your best not to burn it. Add 2 cups of stock to the pot. Be careful - it might splatter.
• Bring the stock to a boil, and lower the heat to a simmer (about medium-low). Add carrots (or any hard, root vegetables, if using), and cook until they are crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add tofu or any vegetables (except spinach), and cook until tender but still bright in color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat, and cover to keep warm.
• In a small pot, heat the remaining 1 cup of stock until it steams. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the miso paste until the miso is completely dissolved, then pour the entire miso mixture into the pot with the soup. (If using soy sauce instead of miso, skip this part and add the rest of the stock and soy sauce.) Stir in the cooked noodles and fresh spinach, if using, and heat through over medium-low, if necessary. Do not bring the soup to a boil with the miso: Some cooks believe this can ruin the miso's delicate flavor. Top as desired and season additionally, if desired, with soy sauce.