Barley Miso Soup with Udon Noodles

Nikomi udon or miso nikomi udon 味噌煮込みうどん is a comfort miso soup with udon noodles served in both restaurants and at home in Japan. You can add any vegetables to make this miso soup. In the cold months, people enjoy this soup with winter vegetables like squash or pumpkins, which adds an extra creamy and sweetness to the soup.

Ingredients

• 3 heap tbsp Clearspring Organic Japanese Barley Miso Paste
• 1 pack Clearspring Organic Japanese Wide Udon Noodles
• ½ tbsp Clearspring Organic Sesame Oil
• 1 small fresh ginger
• ½ leek
• 1 Carrots
• 2 Pak choi or any leafy greens

• 2 small pieces (around 5cm strips) Clearspring Kombu
• 3 pieces Clearspring Shiitake Mushroom
• 1 litre Water

Garnish

• spring onion
• grated ginger – optional

Tools

• 1 large jug or jar (1ltr)
• Pots to cook the noodles and soup
• Sieve for draining the noodles

Method

1. Add Shiitake and kombu in a jug, and add water.
2. Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight.

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook noodles as instructed on the pack. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop it from further cooking.
2. Slice ginger into match sticks. Wash all the vegetables and cut them into bite-size pieces.
3. Add sesame oil to a large pot on medium heat. Add the sliced ginger and leek and let it sweat for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and leave to cook on low.
4. Take out the shiitake and kombu from the pre-made stock. Slice the shiitake mushrooms and remove the hard stalk. Discard the kombu.
5. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms into the soup pot with the stock and turn the heat up to medium.
6. Once the vegetables are soft, turn off the heat.
7. Open the Jar of Clearspring Barley Miso and scoop out the paste onto a ladle, and place it in the pot. Use chopsticks or a spoon to mix it in. Alternatively, you can add the miso to a bowl, take some liquid out of the soup and mix it before placing it back into it.
8. Add the cooked udon noodles and let that simmer in the soup – don’t let it boil.
9. Serve in a soup bowl with grated ginger & spring onion.

Recipe by Lisa Dawson