Summer Special WASHOKU Recipes! A refreshing summer noodle

Udon is a thick Japanese noodle, typically made from wheat flour and is served both cold and warm. What makes this Vegetarian Creamy Udon special is that it’s Vegetarian (using a ton of mushrooms and yin foods that cools your body temperature!), it’s refreshing (although it’s creamy!) , and it’s Indian and Japanese fusion! Perfect to keep your energy during sizzling hot days!

Recipe

■Ingredients:(serves 4)

Udon noodles
½ spring onion, finely chopped
250g mushrooms, diced (any mushrooms like shiitake mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms)
2 tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
10g ginger, finely chopped
2 tsp miso
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
½ tsp coriander powder
½-¼ tsp garam masala
400ml soy milk (or almond milk)
8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cucumber, cut into julienne strips
Cumin seeds (to garnish)

For broth:

650ml water
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
7g dried kelp (kombu kelp)
100ml mirin
100ml soy sauce
½ tsp sugar

■Steps

Make the broth (use ingredients listed for broth): Soak the shiitake mushrooms and dried kelp in 650ml water and let them steep for 2-3 hours or more (maximum overnight in the fridge)
Pour 100ml mirin in a pan and bring it to a boil. Add 100ml soy sauce and sugar and wait until the sugar dissolves. Add 600ml of your broth and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes – Your udon soup is ready!
Heat a pan on medium heat and add sesame oil. Add the spring onions, garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant. Add the mushrooms (you can use the shiitake mushroom you used for the broth, too. Squeeze well and chop them up) and cook until tender. Add miso, soy sauce, mirin, coriander powder, and garam masala (and chilli powder if you like it hot) and cook for 4 minutes
Boil your udon noodles (follow the instructions on the package since all udons are different). Drain and wash with cold water. Drain well.
In a serving bowl, pour 100ml of broth and 100ml of soy milk and mix. Place the udon and top it with the stir fried mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber and sprinkle some cumin seeds and garnish it with sesame oil