I never used to like miso soup. I was never a fan of tofu either (except Mapo Tofu). But I’ve changed my taste, clearly. Having learned that as long as tofu is prepared properly (i.e. most of the water is pressed out of it) it tastes good, I’ve been happy to include tofu in my cooking.

Now I realise that we’re leaving the colder weather behind, and heading into spring, but that doesn’t mean we can enjoy large bowls of soupy noodles now can we? I’ve been eating a lot of soupy noodle dishes recently. In one week I had laksa, ramen, and pho. So, why not enjoy miso as a noodle soup too?

The key is to make sure that you give the miso paste enough time to diffuse into the stock so that you give your broth a really rich flavour. You also want to make sure that you cook the noodles slightly al dente from the package instructions, as they will cook further in the soup.

I have more work to get done, the end of my studying year is near, but the light at the end of the tunnel is still a pinprick given the amount of work over the next 8 weeks. So, I’ll leave you with the recipe.

Ingredients

150 grams firm tofu
1 litre vegetable/chicken stock
2 tablespoons miso paste
1 bunch udon noodles
3 oyster mushroom caps
1 pack enoki mushrooms
1 sheet dried seaweed
spring onion, chopped

1. Wrap the tofu in a tea towel, set on a board or plate, place a plate or board on top of the tofu, and apply pressure using cans/jars. Place in the fridge and leave for at least one hour, but the longer the better.
2. When the tofu is ready, take it out of the fridge and set aside to bring it up to room temperature.
3. Pour stock into a pot and bring to a simmer. Add miso paste and continue to simmer.
4. Meanwhile, cook udon noodles slightly less than instructions on the packet.
5. Add mushrooms to the simmering broth, and allow to infuse for 20 minutes. Then add the tofu and seaweed and cook for a further 5 minutes.
6. Add the noodles to the soup, and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Serve soup in a large bowl and sprinkle with spring onions.
8. Enjoy hot!