Ginger Miso Udon Noodle Soup with Roasted Mushrooms

This simple soup has become my new favorite comfort food, with a light and slightly salty white miso broth with just a hint of ginger, and thick, chewy udon noodles. It’s flavor and comfort in one delicious bowl.

We topped our bowls with cubes of firm tofu, steamed baby bok-choy, and shiitake mushrooms that have been tossed with soy sauce and sesame oil and roasted until the flavors sing, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions to finish it off.

Japan has altered our culinary outlook more than any other place we’ve visited. I find myself craving their soups most of all: simple yet complex, with oodles of noodles and other fun bits and pieces waiting to be discovered within.

We have made a slightly different, soy-sauce based udon noodle dipping-soup, or Mentsuyu, before (the soy base can be thinned to make it into more of a soup vs a dip). While this recipe starts out the same way, with a dashi broth made from bonito flakes and seaweed, the final broth is lighter in color and flavor, with a touch of mild white miso paste and a hint of fresh ginger. You can also add a splash of soy sauce or hot chili paste if you’re hankering for a bit of extra kick.

But my favorite part of this dish has to be the mushrooms. The first time we roasted shiitake mushrooms was for these beet and barley bowls, and we haven’t cooked them any other way since. Tossed with a bit of sesame oil and soy sauce, the mushrooms’ flavor is concentrated as they shrink in size in the oven, browning and becoming almost crispy in the thinnest parts.

You can make homemade udon noodles, or, if you have an Asian market convenient to you, look in the freezer section for blocks of thick frozen udon noodles. They are more expensive than dried, but they are seriously amazing. We plan to stock our freezer with them the next time we’re in that part of town, because this is one of those dishes that is easy to throw together on those nights when you just want something light and comforting.

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from Love and Olive Oil http://ift.tt/2Fdfcrb