Mushroom-Miso Soba Bowls

For me, comfort food takes many forms.  I will happily dig into a huge bowl of macaroni and cheese, or I could just as easily be delighted with a bowl of miso soup.  This dinner is a nice compromise, with the hearty soba noodles, earthy flavor of miso and shiitake mushrooms, and freshness of green onions and bok choy.  It's simple, vegetarian, and perfect for a crisp Fall evening.

(adapted from The Healthy Headonist by Myra Kornfeld)

a handful of dried shiitake mushrooms (use more if you want a stronger mushroom flavor)

3 cups boiling water

2 tbsp dark miso

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 pound brown button mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tbsp soy sauce

6 ounces soba noodles

3 bunches baby bok choy, thinly sliced

1/2 cup cooked, shelled edamame

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1 sheet nori, toasted and cut into thin strips

Pour boiling water over mushrooms and let sit for at least half an hour.

Drain mushrooms and reserve all the soaking liquid.  Chop the mushrooms.

Mix 1/2 cup mushroom liquid with the miso in a small bowl and set aside.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil, and cook the soba noodles.  Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok and add the ginger and garlic.

Stir-fry one minute, then add the bok choy and both fresh and soaked mushrooms.  Pour in the soy sauce and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes.

Add the bok choy, edamame, and mushroom liquid to the skillet.  Cook for about 4 minutes.

Add the soba and miso mixture and cook for another 3 minutes.

Put noodles into bowls, ladle some broth over them, and garnish with green onions and nori.

Donburi style chicken

This is a great way to cook chicken without adding any fat, and it gives the meat great flavor while keeping it tender.  Served over rice, it's a delicious and simple meal with a nice amount of protein to keep you going. I added a lot of broth to my bowl, as you can see in the picture, but you can decide how you want to serve yours.

(from Japanese Home Cooking by Shunsuke Fukushima)

1 cup water

5 tbsp soy sauce

5 tbsp mirin

1 tsp instant dashi

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

8 oz chicken thighs, skin removed, cut into bite-sized pieces

4 tbsp chopped parsley

2 eggs, lightly beaten 

2 cups steamed rice

1 scallion, thinly sliced (for garnish)

Place water, soy sauce, mirin, dashi and sugar in a shallow frying pan with a tight-fitting lid.

Bring to a boil, then add onion and chicken.

Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is opaque and onion is soft, 8-10 minutes.

Add parsley and gradually pour eggs over liquid in pan.  

Tilt pan so eggs cover bottom. 

Cover and cook a little longer until eggs are almost set, about 1 minute.

Remove pan from heat before eggs are completely set.

To serve, place rice in individual serving bowls and top with egg, chicken and stock mixture.

Garnish with chopped scallion.

Spinach with Sesame Dressing

If you don't like spinach, you might reconsider after you try this. It is insanely simple and the flavor is amazing - a perfect mix of sweet and savory.

The recipe makes extra dressing, which will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator.

(from Japanese Home Cooking by Shunsuke Fukushima)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, ground in a mortar and pestle

1 large bunch spinach (leaves only)

sesame seeds (for garnish)

Bring soy sauce and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat and stir in ground sesame seeds.

Wash spinach leaves well in several changes of cold water.

Half fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil.

Add spinach, return to a boil, and cook until the spinach is wilted (about a minute).

Drain the spinach and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Toss with a few tablespoons of dressing, then garnish with sesame seeds.

(serves 2)

Otsu

This is one of those recipes that the cookbook falls open to, that I've made so many times I've stopped measuring everything and just go by feel, and that I probably don't go a week with out making.  

The flavor is spicy, salty, sweet, and sour all at the same time thanks to the cayenne pepper, soy sauce, honey, and vinegar in the dressing.  I added julienned carrots to the original recipe because I love the color and crunch they add.

(adapted from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson)

Dressing:

grated zest of 1 lemon

1-inch cube fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoons cayenne

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp sesame oil

Noodles:

12 oz dried soba noodles

12 oz extra firm nigari tofu

1/4 cup choped fresh cilantro

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 English cucumber, seeded and diced

1 medium carrot, julienned

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

To make dressing: 

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

To make the noodles:

Cook the soba in rapidly boiling salted water according to package directions.

Drain and rinse with cold water

While pasta is cooking, cut the tofu into 1/2" by 1" rectangles that are about 1/2" thick.

Cook in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown on all sides, tossing gently once or twice.

In a large bowl, combine the noodles, cilantro, green onions, cucumber, carrot, and about 2/3 cup dressing and toss until well combined.  

Add the tofu and toss again gently.  

Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.