This simple Japanese-inspired soup includes beneficial herbs like ginger and garlic along with fresh seasonal vegetables like bok choy. While this recipe is designed to be vegan, you could easily add some grilled chicken or a hard-boiled egg to increase your protein intake like we’ve done.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
- 45g dried shiitake mushrooms (preferably whole)
- 1 bunch bok choy
- 3-4 spring onions
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 5 cups water (plus extra for soaking mushrooms and
cooking noodles) - 3 tbsp white miso paste
- 200-250g buckwheat (soba) or rice noodles
- 1 tbsp mirin (more to taste)
- 1 tbsp tamari (more to taste)
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- Squeeze of fresh lemon to serve if desired
Method:
- Place mushrooms in a bowl, cover with warm water and a plate (to stop them floating) and soak for 20-30 minutes. Drain mushrooms and slice into 3-4 pieces, removing the stems. The liquid can be kept and included in the 5 cups used later (discard the solids at the bottom).
- While the mushrooms are soaking, separate bok choy into white stalks and green leaves and cut stalks into 1cm slices. Slice spring onions, including green tops.
- Heat a saucepan to medium heat and add olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes. Once soft add bok choy stalks and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Then add the ginger, garlic and spring onions (reserving some of the sliced green tops) and cook for another minute.
Add an extra dash of oil or some mushroom stock if everything starts to stick to the saucepan. - Scoop some of the water into a small bowl and dissolve the miso paste, ensuring there are no lumps. Add to the saucepan with the remainder of the water. Bring to the boil and simmer with lid on for 12-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook noodles as per packet instructions. Once soup has simmered, add bok choy leaves, reserved spring onion tops, noodles, mirin, tamari and sesame oil and simmer for another 1-2 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Tip: Depending on what is available near you, try substituting dry mushrooms for fresh to reduce prep time for weeknight meals.
Recipe sourced from jeanhailes.org.au
