It’s been a whirlwind tour of Asian flavors during this first month of 2015 – from Indian inspired Tandoori Chicken to a spicy sizzling Korean Tofu Stew, and from a quick fix Thai Tom Yum Soup to a Slow-Cooked Chinese Five Spice Chicken. Before the month comes to an end, we jump over to Japan for a taste of early spring with this bowl of Miso Soba Noodle Soup.
For the base of this Miso Soba Noodle Soup, it’s just a mix of water (or dashi broth) and yellow miso paste.
If you’ve been preparing some of my Japanese recipes, you've definitely discovered the must-have ingredient of yellow miso paste. It’s healthy and warming, and I really want you to find various ways to incorporate it into your diet, especially during the winter.
To give the base flavor of this vegetarian soup an extra richness, add in fresh shiitake mushrooms as well.
When I mentioned a taste of early spring in this Miso Soba Noodle Soup, that’s because it’s the perfect dish for adding in a microgreen – a leafy green harvested between the sprout and baby leaf stage. Microgreens have an incredibly fresh, spring-like aroma, with more distinct and concentrated spicy or sweet flavors.
My favorite are these gorgeous mizuna mustard microgreens. They add a peppery, fresh bite to this soup, that compliment the textures and flavors of the other ingredients.
You may have some microgreens available at your local grocery store, but they really are best when grown locally and harvested just a day or two before purchasing. These mizuna mustard microgreens are actually from our friend Jeff, who runs Mana Gardens. Jeff recently started planting various greens and vegetables at a local green house to help provide healthy and fresh produce year-round for our community.
If you can’t find microgreens for this recipe, I recommend an alternative like baby spinach, pea shoots, or baby bok choy.
To complete this Miso Soba Noodle Soup, add in some sweet corn kernels to help balance the flavor, and crack in a couple of eggs directly into the cooking soup for extra protein.
When ready to enjoy, season the soup with a sprinkle of our Japanese Seven Spice (Shichimi Togarashi) – a versatile blend of chili pepper, sesame seeds, ginger, nori, brown sugar, sea salt, orange peel, and Sichuan pepper.
Miso Soba Noodle Soup
by Season with Spice
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 servings soba noodles
2.5 cups water (or dashi)
4-5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, or mushrooms of your choice – sliced
1.5 - 2 tbsp yellow miso paste, to taste
1/4 cup sweet corn kernels
2 eggs*
One large handful of greens (I used mizuna mustard microgreens)**
Season with Spice's Japanese Seven Spice (Shichimi Togarashi)
Method:
1. Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and transfer into serving bowls.
2. In a large soup pot, bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, add in fresh shiitake mushrooms, and let simmer for 1-2 minutes. When the mushrooms are almost cooked, stir in miso paste until dissolved. Add in sweet corn kernels.
3. Turn heat up to medium-high. Crack one egg at a time into the soup and let cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or until desired doneness.
4. Transfer the eggs, mushrooms and sweet corn into each bowl of noodles. Top the noodles with microgreens, or your choice of vegetables. Then ladle the soup over the noodles. Serve immediately. Season with our Japanese Seven Spice (Shichimi Togarashi) and enjoy!
Notes:
* You can cook or prepare the eggs differently if you wish – try soft-boiled, hard boiled, or a Japanese style egg such as Just One Cookbook’s Onsen Tamago.
** You can use other greens such as pea shoots, baby spinach, watercress, or baby bok choy.
by Season with Spice
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 servings soba noodles
2.5 cups water (or dashi)
4-5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, or mushrooms of your choice – sliced
1.5 - 2 tbsp yellow miso paste, to taste
1/4 cup sweet corn kernels
2 eggs*
One large handful of greens (I used mizuna mustard microgreens)**
Season with Spice's Japanese Seven Spice (Shichimi Togarashi)
Method:
1. Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and transfer into serving bowls.
2. In a large soup pot, bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, add in fresh shiitake mushrooms, and let simmer for 1-2 minutes. When the mushrooms are almost cooked, stir in miso paste until dissolved. Add in sweet corn kernels.
3. Turn heat up to medium-high. Crack one egg at a time into the soup and let cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or until desired doneness.
4. Transfer the eggs, mushrooms and sweet corn into each bowl of noodles. Top the noodles with microgreens, or your choice of vegetables. Then ladle the soup over the noodles. Serve immediately. Season with our Japanese Seven Spice (Shichimi Togarashi) and enjoy!
Notes:
* You can cook or prepare the eggs differently if you wish – try soft-boiled, hard boiled, or a Japanese style egg such as Just One Cookbook’s Onsen Tamago.
** You can use other greens such as pea shoots, baby spinach, watercress, or baby bok choy.
