“I don’t have time to cook.”
Whenever I ask someone if they enjoy cooking – whether it’s to my hair stylist or dentist, or to my friends and family – that’s the answer more often than not. It’s a quick answer, but a revealing one. The exhaustion in their tone tells me that their desire to cook, and eat delicious, healthy, home cooked meals, is still there, but for the myriad of reasons in our busy lives, we can’t find the time.
So whenever I ask myself what recipes I am going to feature next on Season with Spice, I hear that answer. And this time, the result was Mushroom & Tofu Udon Noodle Soup.
This Mushroom & Tofu Udon Noodle Soup is perfect on a chilly spring night when you want something comforting and warm; substantial, but not a dish that will weigh you down; a dish that’s quick to cook during the week, but still healthy and delicious.
I added in cremini mushrooms, silken tofu, spinach, and shredded carrot. They match well with the thick udon noodles, but this soup is versatile, so try including some other veggies you have on hand – such as sweet peas, broccoli, napa cabbage, or bok choy.
While preparing the soup, you can quickly whip up some garlic-chili oil too. In a sauce pan, heat up oil with minced garlic and Japanese Seven Spice, and in less than a minute, you have a spicy dressing that will boost the flavor of this Mushroom & Tofu Udon Noodle Soup.
Mushroom & Tofu Udon Noodle Soup recipe
by Season with Spice
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
2 servings of fresh udon noodles
7oz of silken tofu – drained and cut into 1-inch squares
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups water
8oz of your choice of mushrooms (try cremini or shiitake mushrooms, or a mixture)
1 carrot – shredded
1 tbsp of mirin or dry sherry (optional)
Salt, to taste
1 bunch of spinach
3 scallions – thinly sliced
Season with Spice’s Diced & Dried shallots – for garnish
Garlic Chili Oil:
3 tbsp of vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves – minced
1 tsp of Spicy Japanese Seven Spice (Shichimi Togarashi)
2 tsp of toasted sesame oil
Method:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then turn fire off and add in udon noodles. Cover pot and let sit for 3-4 minutes to allow noodles to soften and separate. Drain water. Add noodles to two serving bowls, and place silken tofu on top of the noodles.
2. In a large saucepan, combine vegetable broth and mushrooms. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove cover and add in carrots to the soup broth and cook for 1 minute. Add mirin (if using) to the soup broth. Stir and season with salt. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes or until mushrooms are softened.
3. While the broth is cooking, add vegetable oil, garlic, and our spicy version of Shichimi Togarashi in a small non-stick pan and gently simmer over low heat, until fragrant. Add in toasted sesame oil, then pour the infused oil into a small sauce dish to serve later.
4. When the soup broth is ready, place a handful of spinach on a slotted spoon, and blanch it in the soup, just until the leaves wilt. Remove the spinach and place the cooked leaves on top of the noodles. Ladle soup and other vegetables over noodles. Garnish with fresh scallions and diced & dried shallots. Drizzle with garlic-chili oil and serve immediately.
Note:
- For a quick & non-spicy version, you can skip the garlic-chili oil, and instead add finely ground white pepper to the soup at the end of the cooking process.
by Season with Spice
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
2 servings of fresh udon noodles
7oz of silken tofu – drained and cut into 1-inch squares
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups water
8oz of your choice of mushrooms (try cremini or shiitake mushrooms, or a mixture)
1 carrot – shredded
1 tbsp of mirin or dry sherry (optional)
Salt, to taste
1 bunch of spinach
3 scallions – thinly sliced
Season with Spice’s Diced & Dried shallots – for garnish
Garlic Chili Oil:
3 tbsp of vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves – minced
1 tsp of Spicy Japanese Seven Spice (Shichimi Togarashi)
2 tsp of toasted sesame oil
Method:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then turn fire off and add in udon noodles. Cover pot and let sit for 3-4 minutes to allow noodles to soften and separate. Drain water. Add noodles to two serving bowls, and place silken tofu on top of the noodles.
2. In a large saucepan, combine vegetable broth and mushrooms. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove cover and add in carrots to the soup broth and cook for 1 minute. Add mirin (if using) to the soup broth. Stir and season with salt. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes or until mushrooms are softened.
3. While the broth is cooking, add vegetable oil, garlic, and our spicy version of Shichimi Togarashi in a small non-stick pan and gently simmer over low heat, until fragrant. Add in toasted sesame oil, then pour the infused oil into a small sauce dish to serve later.
4. When the soup broth is ready, place a handful of spinach on a slotted spoon, and blanch it in the soup, just until the leaves wilt. Remove the spinach and place the cooked leaves on top of the noodles. Ladle soup and other vegetables over noodles. Garnish with fresh scallions and diced & dried shallots. Drizzle with garlic-chili oil and serve immediately.
Note:
- For a quick & non-spicy version, you can skip the garlic-chili oil, and instead add finely ground white pepper to the soup at the end of the cooking process.
