Mushrooms and udon noodles in an Asian broth

Serves: 4

Ingredients for mushrooms and udon noodles

For the soup:
400g fresh udon noodles
20 0g fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used shiitake, Swiss brown and oyster, but enoki, shimeji and chestnut are also good)
2 heads of bok choy, stalks and leaves cut into long strips
50 0g firm tofu, cubed
¼ bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped 

For the broth:
2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp mirin
2 tsp shoyu
2 tsp sesame oil
2c m piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
4 green shallots, finely sliced on an angle
 

Preparation for mushrooms and udon noodles

1. Soak the noodles by placing them in a large bowl and covering with boiling water. You can then leave them to soften while you’re making the broth and soup. 

2. To prepare the broth, place all broth ingredients in a saucepan. Add two litres of water and set on a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer very gently for three minutes.

3. Next, add the mushrooms, bok choy and tofu to the broth and simmer gently for a further three minutes, until the vegetables are just cooked through, but not soggy.

4. It’s now time to drain the udon noodles, separate them, and divide between four bowls.

5. Lastly, place the tofu, mushrooms and vegetables into bowls, then ladle over the remaining broth. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve immediately.

TIP: It’s important to prep all the ingredients before you start, then cook this meal with gentle care. Over-boiling, handling the ingredients roughly or adding them in a different order will result in a poorer taste. Stir the ingredients carefully, simmer softly and be fully present while you’re cooking.