Healthy Asian Cuisine: Soba Noodles in Miso Broth With Veggies

Miso may be an unfamiliar ingredient to a lot of Americans, but it has been used in Asian cuisine for thousands of years.  It’s made by fermenting rice, barley or soybeans; the most common miso is made from soy.  

 

After fermentation, the miso turns into a thick paste used for sauces, pickling meats or vegetables, or mixed with seaweed and spices and served as a soup.  Miso traditionally has a salty flavor, but can also taste sweet or fruity depending on the ingredients used during fermentation.  Miso is protein and nutrient rich, and is a staple in most Japanese food dishes.

 

This recipe is for a traditional miso broth served with soba noodles and veggies.  This recipe makes about 6 servings.  Here is what you’ll need.

 

Ingredients:

  • 7 ounces soba noodles

  • Dark Asian sesame oil

  • 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps cut into 1/2-inch strips

  • 2 cups chopped bok choy, preferably baby bok choy

  • 6 scallions, chopped

  • 3 tablespoons red miso

  • Crushed hot red hot pepper flakes

Directions:

 

Over high heat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the soba noodles and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.  Drain well and rinse noodles under cold water.  Toss with a light drizzle of sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking.

 

Next, bring another pot of 6 cups cold water to a boil.  Add the shiitake mushrooms, bok choy and scallions.  Boil until the mushrooms become tender, about 2-3 minutes.  Lower the heat, add the drained soba noodles and cook until the broth comes to a simmer.  Remove the pot from the heat and transfer about 1 cup of the broth to a separate bowl.

 

Next, add the miso and mix to dissolve.  Transfer the dissolved miso back into the pot.  If you prefer a stronger miso flavor, dissolve more miso into the bowl and then add it to the stock pot.

 

Serve the miso noodle soup hot in deep bowls and dust with red pepper flakes and drizzle sesame oil on top.  Although this recipe is prepared vegetarian, you can add slices of cooked pork, shrimp or chicken on top and serve with a few pinches of scallions for color and flavor.  The soba noodles and broth will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

 

Tips on Selecting Bok Choy:

 

There are two main varieties of bok choy: traditional bok choy and baby bok choy.  Traditional bok choy has long stalks with dark green, leafy tops, and weighs about 1 pound.  Baby bok choy, as the name implies, is much smaller and light green in color.  A single head of baby bok choy weighs about 7 ounces and will supply the 2 cups needed for this recipe.  Both varieties of bok choy can be found at any Asian market and most natural food stores.

 

Because bok choy has been found to be such a healthy and nutrient-dense vegetable, most traditional grocery stores are now stocking it.  Still, if you are in a location where bok choy simply isn’t available for this recipe, you can substitute Nappa cabbage or baby spinach leaves.

 

 

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