Soba noodle soup with shiitake mushrooms and latin “tofu”

Published on 12/08/2011 | In Japan en, Peru en | By Monica |

- Prep Time
- 40 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 Minutes
- Yield
- 8
- Difficulty Level

Do you know why in Egypt and countries where it is really really hot people are used to having hot tea instead of ice-cream? Because if we drink something hot our body temperature is closest to the outside temperature and, therefore, we feel less hot. If we have ice-creams what happens is that our body temperature lowers, we feel more the outside temperature, therefore, feeling hotter. Physiologically speaking that’s how it works. Now, it’s clear that the first thing we think about when we are feeling hot is ice-cream or cold coke, and when we feel cold we feel like having a really nice hot soup right?

I am one of those who thinks both things saciate us. One has a short-term effect and the other one regulates us on a longer term. That’s why soups are perfect for the whole year! When it’s cold they heat us up, when it’s hot they also have a positive effect on our body. And, well, yes I must confess my family is addicted to soup, the whole year we have soups.

This delicious and exquisite soup with soba noodles, shiitake mushrooms and latin “tofu” (which is latin fresh cheese that does not melt) is for all seasons. For Peruvians right now that want to feel warmer now that it’s winter, for Spanish that are having a very hot Summer and for Germans that between rainy days and sunny days, well, it’s always welcomed. And for everyone else of course!!!

Now the easy part comes. I think this recipe has a bit more difficulty in finding all the ingredients (even though now we can find japanese stores everywhere!) than in preparing it, it’s really amazingly easy to make and very tasty.

Ingredients

2 litres of vegetable broth or 2 litres of water and 2 concentrated vegetable broth cubes
150 grs of dried shiitake mushrooms (aprox. between 15-20)
100 grs fresh latin cheese or a fresh cheese that doesn't melt - important
100 grs fresh tofu
2 hands of fresh spinach
4 spring onions
150 grs soba noodles
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of japanese miso
2 cups of water
2-3 teaspoons of powdered ginger or 1 clove of fresh ginger, grated
japanese spices: Shichimi Togarashi (for serving)
salt and pepper

Instructions

First we bring the 2 litres of water to a boil and add the broth cubes.Note: I had no broth made and probably it would have given the soup a lot of flavour, however one of the characteristics the broth cubes have is that they add a lot of the 5th sense flavour knwon as Umami and that goes perfect with japanese food and ingredients, with the shiitake mushrooms and with soy sauce for example. So I also thought about making the soup with the cubes because I believe it adds an important flavour to it.
Meanwhile, boil 1/2 litre of water and rehidrate the Shiitake mushrooms there for at least 1 hour.
Let both cool down.
In a separate sauce pan we cook the noodles. Drain and leave with some oil so that they don't stick to each other.
Cut the Shiitake mushrooms into fine slices.
Bring the broth to a boil, add the ginger. Afterward, add the liquid from the mushrooms together with the mushrooms, the soy sauce, sugar and rice vinegar. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes and turn of the heat.
Take the 2 tablespoons of miso in a separate bowl and mix well with some of the broth.
Add to the broth.
Cut the spring onions finelly and diagonally, white and green parts.
Clean well the spinach, if the leaves are big break into pieces with your hands.
Just minutes before serving we uncover the pot, add two cups of water and the fresh cheese cut into cubes the sice of Tofu cubes, the onions and the spinachs.
Taste for salt, add more soy sauce or salt if needed.
Leave it for 2 minutes, add the noodles.
Move well and serve, sprinkle a bit of japanese spices on top, a bit of each ingredient and hot broth.
Serve with chopsticks and spoon.Enjoy!