vegan udon noodle soup

Vegan Udon Noodle Soup Recipe

If there’s the one thing I could never tire slurping of, it’s this vegan udon noodle soup. A vegetarian-friendly “dashi” (Japanese soup stock) lends a baseline hum, strummed by meatily-textured mushrooms and eggplant. The bowl is brought together by a healthy dose of udon noodles, which strike a soft and chewy chord!

Bookmark this recipe as one that’s as rich in flavour as it is in comfort. It’s a dish elegant in its simplicity, propped up by the background complexity of umami-rich flavours characteristic of Japanese cuisine.


Starring Ingredients In This Udon Noodle Recipe

While dashi – Japanese soup stock – is often emboldened with seafood (think dried shrimp, sardines or even scallops), in its simplest (yet oh-so-flavourful) form dashi can be inherently vegan or vegetarian too.

  • Kombu (dried kelp) and dried shiitake mushrooms add a potent punch of umami.
  • The overall depth of flavour and savouriness supported by an ensemble act of seasonings including mirin (a type of rice wine similar to sake, but with a lower alcohol content) and vegan “fysh” sauce (also made with mushrooms and seaweed for an “oceany” flavour).

All ingredients for this recipe can be found on Urban Platter & at Foodhall India.

vegan udon dashi
vegan udon noodle soup

Vegan Udon Noodle Soup

Ayushi Gupta-Mehra | The Foodie Diaries
Emboldened with kombu and shiitake mushrooms, this vegan udon noodle soup recipe packs a potent punch of umami and savoury depth of flavour.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Japanese
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

For the vegan dashi

  • tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 thumb-sized (3 inch) piece of ginger
  • 3 – 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 1 heaping tbsp miso
  • 3 – 4 dried red chillies
  • 4×4 inch piece of kombu 
  • large stalk of lemongrass
  • 3 – 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 – 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 – 2 leeks, sliced
  • 6 cups of water
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp fysh sauce
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp ground coriander (optional)

For assembling

  • 1 packet of udon noodles
  • 3 – 4 tbsp sesame oil (divided)
  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1 packet tofu (silken-firm or extra firm)
  • mushrooms of choice (Baby Bella or Shiitake work well)
  • 1 – 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce (optional)
  • cornflour for coating

Instructions
 

To make the vegan dashi

  • Heat 1½ tbsp sesame oil in a large pot (medium low heat). Sauté the ginger and garlic cloves until fragrant (about a minute). Add the miso and stir to smoothen the paste.
  • Add the remaining ingredients for the dashi (water, lemongrass, shiitake mushrooms, kombu, chillies, carrots, leeks, soy sauce, mirin, vegan fysh sauce, honey and a pinch of salt).
  • Remove the kombu before the broth comes to a boil (this is essential, as otherwise the broth will be too bitter with an undesirably slimy texture!).
  • Once boiling, reduce heat and let the dashi simmer for 30-35 minutes before straining. Taste and adjust as you’d like, for instance adding a splash more soy sauce for an umami kick; or a dash of honey for a subtle sweetness.

To cook the tofu

  • Drain the excess water out of the tofu by wrapping the block between paper towels and then gently pressing down to release the water using a steel plate or even a wooden chopping board. Let the tofu sit for at least half an hour (ideally an hour) until it is fully drained and firm enough,
  • Then, cut it into cubes or long rectangular strips and coat it with cornflour.
  • Head a tbsp of sesame oil in a skillet and pan-fry the tofu for 7 – 10 minutes , flipping the pieces over until they’re golden brown and crisp on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

To cook the eggplants

  • Cut the eggplants in cubes and immediately soak in water. Set aside for 15 minutes or so, before patting dry with a paper towel.
  • Heat a tbsp of oil in a skillet (medium heat). Add the cubed eggplant and sauté until tender and golden-brown (be careful not to overcook the eggplant though as we don’t want a mushy texture!). Add a couple of tablespoons of teriyaki sauce at the end and toss the eggplant pieces until evenly seasoned. Set aside.

To cook the mushrooms

  • Thinly slice the mushrooms.
  • Heat a tbsp of oil in a skillet (medium heat). Once shimmering, add the mushrooms and stir often, sautéing until the mushrooms have browned and softened with a tender texture. You’ll know they have cooked once the mushrooms release their earthy aroma.

To assemble the dashi

  • Cook udon noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and divide among 3 – 4 serving bowls.
  • Top with the cooked eggplant, tofu and mushrooms; then ladle the dashi on top. Serve hot!
    vegan udon noodle soup

Notes

Ingredients for the dashi can be found on https://urbanplatter.in/
Keyword easy asian recipes, Easy Vegetarian Recipes, simple vegan recipes, Vegan Udon Noodle Soup

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