Vegan Miso Udon Noodle soup

🛒 Ingredients

• 2 packs (approximately 400 grams) of ready-to-use wet udon noodles
• 150 grams of white tofu/silk tofu (cut into small cubes)
• 2 bunches of pak choy or green mustard greens (wash clean/cut in half)
• 1/2 carrot (thinly sliced lengthwise/matchstick)
• 2 stalks of spring onions (thinly sliced for garnish)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder or chili flakes (optional/for sprinkling)
• 4 cups (about 1 liter of clean water)
• 1 sheet of kombu (dried seaweed for dashi base stock) - optional, if not available can be replaced with mushroom stock
• 3 tablespoons white miso paste (Shiro miso) or red miso
• 2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (Shoyu)
• 1 teaspoon mushroom stock powder
• 1 clove of garlic (bruised)
• 1 piece of ginger (bruised)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Make vegan dashi stock: Bring water to a boil in a saucepan with kombu (if using), garlic, and crushed ginger over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to release the aromas. Remove and discard the kombu, ginger, and garlic.

2. 2

   Boil the vegetables; add the sliced carrots to the hot stock and cook for 2 minutes until slightly tender. Then add the bok choy and cook for 1 minute until the greens are wilted but still crisp. Remove the vegetables and set aside so they don't get too mushy.

3. 3

   Boil the udon noodles; add the wet udon noodles directly to the boiling broth. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the noodles break down and become chewy.

4. 4

   Add the tofu: add the diced tofu to the pan, cook slowly for 1 minute so that the tofu is warm and absorbs the stock (stir gently so that the tofu doesn't burn).

5. 5

   Dissolve the miso paste (the key to a delicious miso flavor); turn off the heat (do not boil the miso paste in boiling water because it can destroy the flavor and nutrients of the miso fermentation). Take 1 ladle of warm stock from the pan, mix it with the miso paste in a small bowl, then stir until dissolved and there are no lumps. Pour the miso solution back into the stock pot, add the Japanese soy sauce and mushroom stock. Stir well.

6. 6

   Serve; arrange the udon noodles, tofu, and vegetables (bok choy and carrots) in a pretty serving bowl. Pour the warm miso sauce over the noodles until they are completely covered. Sprinkle with plenty of fresh sliced spring onions and a little chili powder on top. The dish is ready to be enjoyed.