Japanese Noodle Soup

I decided to make a Japanese Noodle Soup last night with udon noodles BUT they were freezer burnt! Bah! And I didn't realize until it was too late. Sigh. Oh well, we improvised and used rice noodles. Worked just as well.

I made my own broth, which was light and tasty. It was also very easy to make. I accompanied our meal with homemade gomae again. You can get that recipe here. Kevin really liked the gomae. What's not to like? lol

Japanese Noodle Soup

Ingredients

6 cups water

5 shitake mushrooms, sliced

1 inch piece of ginger, chopped

Big piece of Kombu (a type of seaweed)

5 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp mirin

1 tsp agave nectar

2 carrots, sliced

2 handfuls snow peas

2 handfuls bean sprouts

1 sheet nori, shredded

1 pkg tofu puffs, each puff cut into 4

1/2 pkg enoki mushrooms

3 dried chili peppers

2 green onions, chopped

rice noodles

Directions:

1. Put the water, shitake mushrooms, ginger, kombu, soy sauce, mirin, agave nectar, carrots and chili peppers into a big pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Cook the rice noodles according to package. I didn't put a quantity because it depends on how much you want to eat. I did about 1/4 to 1/2 a package for 2 ppl and there was leftovers. I made enough soup and noodles for 3 actually.

3. After the 20 minutes add the snow peas, tofu puffs and enoki mushrooms. Taste the broth to see if you want to add more soy or sweetener. At this point it was good for me. Cook for 3 minutes.

4. Put the noodles in a bowl, add your soup then top with bean sprouts, green onions, and shredded nori and serve!!!

TIP: I used a full nori sheet, folded it a bunch of times breaking it until I had a size that I wanted then I cut it with scissors into strips. I didn't buy it the way you see in the picture below. Also, I would have used udon as they are traditional Japanese fare but mine were ruined! I'm not bitter at all. lol But rice noodles worked great.

Japanese Noodle Soup

Gomae

Yes, that is a heart shaped little plate thing. The bowls I wanted to use were being occupied and everything else was too big. Very romantical indeed. lol

VERY satisfying Japanese meal. But I'm not over it yet. I think I'm going to make Nikujaga soon. Not tonight because I'm not sure if my friend Jimmy will be into it. ALSO I've never made it vegan. Its a traditional Japanese dish of potatoes and beef with a sweet soy broth. I'm going to use TVP instead, so no idea how that will turn out but I'm super excited!!! Reminds me of my childhood. My Baba and Grandpa used to make it. I LOVE it. My Baba makes onishime for me quite often now that I'm vegan, its kinda similar but never made with meat.

I haven't had any beans in a while so I'm thinking I'll do a chickpea curry or maybe something Mexican. Hmmmm, I'll think about that while I work out.

The sun disappeared again. Sigh. It sure was lovely while it lasted. :)

Peace

xoxo

K