Japanese Squash And Soba Noodle Soup Recipes

JAPANESE SQUASH-AND-SOBA-NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Bring water and kombu to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from heat, stir in bonito flakes, and let stand 5 minutes. Pour broth through a fine sieve into a bowl, discard solids, and return broth to pan.
• Add soy sauce, squash, and mushrooms to broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Season with more soy sauce if desired.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles, and cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are al dente, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water.
• Divide noodles among 4 bowls. Ladle soup over noodles, dollop with tofu, and garnish with scallions.

SOBA NOODLES IN BROTH WITH SWEET POTATO, CABBAGE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Bring the stock to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt if desired. Add the sweet potatoes and cabbage, and simmer 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• If the noodles have been refrigerated, warm them by placing them in a strainer and dipping the strainer into the simmering broth. Then distribute the noodles among four to six soup bowls. Add the spinach to the stock. Cover, and turn off the heat. Leave for three minutes. Ladle the soup into the bowls, taking care to distribute the vegetables evenly. Sprinkle the chives over each serving, and serve.

SOBA NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oven (or a toaster oven) to 300. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In another large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil; stir in the bonito flakes, turn off the heat and steep for 10 minutes, no more. Strain into a large bowl; discard the flakes.
• Put the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and a pinch of salt in the pot you used to make the broth; bring to a boil. Let it boil for a minute, then add the bonito stock; bring it back to a boil, and transfer 6 cups to a separate pot and keep hot. (This will be the broth for the soup; what remains is for cooking the eggs.) Toast the nori in the oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Cut into quarters and set aside. Crack the eggs into a bowl or a large measuring cup with a spout and beat until frothy.
• Cook the noodles in the boiling water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain, quickly rinse under cold running water and drain again. Put a portion of noodles into each of four soup bowls. Using a circular pouring motion, slowly stream the eggs, 1/3 at a time, into the smaller amount of boiling broth; as the first third sets, add the second; as the second sets, add the third, then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for a minute. In the meantime ladle the stock (the one without the eggs in it) over the noodles. Use a slotted spoon to scoop a portion of the egg into each bowl, garnish with the nori and scallions and serve.

JAPANESE SOBA NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Break the noodles in half and cook them in a large saucepan according to package directions until al dente, then drain. Rinse briefly with cool water.
• Meanwhile, combine the broth, mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and ginger in a soup pot. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the scallions, tofu, spinach, and optional bok choy. Cover and cook until the spinach is wilted but still bright green, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the noodles. Add about 2 cups water, or enough to give the soup a dense but not overly crowded consistency. Season with pepper and additional soy sauce if needed. Heat through and serve at once.
• Per serving:
• Calories: 196
• Total fat: 3g
• Protein: 10g
• Fiber: 3g
• Carbohydrate: 33g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 511mg