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For the broth (dashi): From 8 to 12 hours in advance, put the dried mushrooms in a bowl and add the water.
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Weight them down with another dish so they stay submerged.
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After they are done soaking, remove mushrooms from water, squeeze excess liquid into the soaking liquid, and discard stems (or save them to make stock).
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Reserve hydrated mushrooms for soup.
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Strain liquid into a clean bowl through a fine mesh strainer, lined with a damp paper towel.
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Set aside.
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When ready to make soup, heat the filtered water and the kombu to a simmer in a medium to large saucepan.
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Just before water boils, remove kombu and discard.
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Add liquid from mushrooms to kombu liquid, turn off heat, and set aside for soup.
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For the soup: Preheat oven to 425 F.
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Toss the three types of mushrooms with the oil and 2 teaspoons tamari in a rimmed dish, spread in an even layer, and roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, stirring once, until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated.
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If mushrooms stick to pan, use a rubber spatula to gently loosen.
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Cook noodles according to package instructions, being careful not to overcook them (check frequently).
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Strain and set aside, tossing with a little oil or occasionally rinsing with lukewarm water to keep them from sticking together.
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In a large pot add white and light green scallions to the mushroom and kombu dashi (liquid) or use mushroom or vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
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In a small dish, mix miso with about 1/4 cup of the simmering broth until smooth, then add it back into the pot.
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Reduce heat to low, add remaining soy sauce, and keep warm.
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To serve, arrange one fourth of the noodles, roasted mushrooms, and green scallions in each of four soup bowls, then add broth to cover.
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Serve immediately, or store components separately for leftovers, assembling soup just before heating.
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Notes: 1.
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To keep prep time to a minimum; boil the noodles, chop the scallions, and season and heat the broth while the mushrooms roast.
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Using homemade dashi adds about 20 minutes of active prep time to the dish.
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2.
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To simplify or keep the soup on a budget, use about 1 pound total of any type of mushrooms you like, cutting them into the specified size before roasting.
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Roasting the mushrooms is less work than sauteeing and really helps the already-earthy mushroom flavor shine through in the final presentation.
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3.
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Most of the Asian ingredients in the recipe are actually quite common.
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See the related blog post for links to online purchasing options and details of what section to check at your local grocery store.