A few years back I spent 10 days in Japan with a girlfriend from collage. We trekked around Tokyo, did the hot springs local-style in Hakone, got caught in a blizzard, navigated public transport, said sumimasen a thousand times and ate more soba noodles than you could imagine.
When I got home I never wanted to see a noodle or a piece of sushi ever again… or so I thought.
About three weeks later it was all I could think about. My insistence on ‘must have soba like in Japan‘ led us to a local place that is – in my humble opinion – some of the most authentic Japanese in Sydney, although you do order sitting at a table instead of from a machine with pictures of the food.
Pretty much every time we go I get a huge hot-pot of handmade soba with mushrooms. It is a wonderful thing.
However, when I made this soup I wasn’t thinking about my trip to Japan or the local restaurant – as a matter of face I wasn’t thinking about either of those things until I started writing this post.
I was thinking about simply what I could do with the pack of mixed mushrooms and huge bunch of Cavalo Nero kale in my fridge.
Who am I kidding, it wasn’t even that considered, I was hungry and wanted lunch. I love it when a plan comes together.
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Japanese Mushroom & Soba Noodle Soup
This quick and easy soup is the perfect meal for a cool autumn day. Use any fresh mushrooms you can get your hands on.
Serves: 2 to 3
INGREDIENTS:
- 90g dry soba noodles + water for cooking
- 3 c water
- 1 heaped Tbsp miso paste
- 200g mixed mushrooms such as king oyster [pleurotus eryngii], shiitake and oyster, thickly sliced; and enoki divided
- 2 c thinly sliced kale
- 1 – 2 tsp tamari, to taste
To Serve:
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- shichimi togarashi – Japanese chili sprinkles
METHOD:
Boil soba noodles for 4 minutes, or according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and divide across bowls.
Bring water to the boil, dissolve miso and reduce to a simmer.
Add sliced kale and simmer 1 minute; add sliced king oyster mushrooms and simmer 30 sec; add sliced shiitake and oyster mushrooms and simmer 30 seconds; remove from heat and add enoki.
Ladle soup into bowls over noodles, top with thinly sliced red onion. Serve with shichimi togarashi
COOK’S NOTES:
- Packs of pre-mixed mushrooms are perfect for this soup, but replace them with any mushrooms you choose.
- If you are gluten free make sure to check ingredients on your soba noodles to find ones that are 100% buckwheat.
vegan // vegetarian // dairy free // gluten free
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I don’t think I could ever get sick of eating noodles, especially with the cooler weather coming, I’m looking forward to slurping up noodles soups.
I must check out Ju Ge Mu & Shimbashi next time I’m in Sydney. I traveled to Japan for 3 weeks in 2010 and I’m always on the hunt for authentic Japanese food in Australia. I always raid your ramen when I am in town!
I looove mushrooms – I’ll definitely be trying this soon 😀
I love soba noodles, what a scrumptious soup!
i love mixed mushrooms with anything and soba is another fav so its safe to say that ill enjoy it before even tasting this!
Well now I have a dilemma JJ. I’m going out for Japanese with my family tonight and I was thinking I’d have sukiyaki with Will. Now I really want the noodle hot pot. Oh the decisions!
The mushroom photos are just beautiful. Shitaake are my absolute favourite.
Great post, I’m craving soba noodle soup now…love the pics too!
My husband and I went to Japan a few years ago and it was our best vacation ever. I so desperately want to go back! But in the meantime, I’ll have to make this soup. I love crazy mushrooms!
Looks and sounds delicious.
This looks so fresh I could taste it! Love anything noodles and mushrooms! xx
Haha that worries me about visiting Japan. Hopefully we wont get turned off it for too long 😉 Im pinning this to make this week!!