Udon Noodle Soup

 

This noodle soup recipe is loosely based on two traditional Japanese style soups. Noodle soup is usually served with simply a few cubes of tofu and some green onions. Chicken and vegetables may be cooked in a tasty broth, then served strained, with the broth served separately. I've combined these two dishes into one soup. It comes together quickly, too. The photos show the soup with chopsticks, as is traditional. To eat soup with chopsticks, eat the vegetables first, then tip the bowl to your mouth to enjoy the broth. The caveat is to use a traditional Japanese style bowl, very unlike the one pictured, deep with no lip. I ate this soup with a soup spoon, try tipping one of these bowls, and I'd be wearing more soup and tasting it.

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
4 chicken thighs, or 2 chicken breasts, boned, skinned, and chopped into cubes
1/2 onion, cut in half, then sliced
1 quart low sodium chicken stock
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1/2 cup snow peas, cut diagonally into 1 inch lengths
1 cup cubed, firm tofu
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1 cup or more water, if needed
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup bean sprouts
2 cups cooked udon noodles

Directions:  Bring a large pot of water to boil to cook the udon noodles while you begin to prepare the soup. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan or stockpot. Add the chicken and onion, then give a stir or two until the chicken is browned, about 1 or 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock then add the vegetables and tofu as you chop them. Season the soup by adding ginger and soy sauce. Add water if the soup gets too thick.

Add the noodles to the boiling water while the chicken and vegetables cook. Most udon noodles only 1 or 2 minutes to cook, but do follow the package directions. Drain the noodles.

To serve, fill each bowl with about 1/2 cup of noodles. Top with a ladle of the chicken and vegetable soup. Garnish with green onions and bean sprouts.

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: This recipe has about 4 cups of vegetables, or 1 cup per per person. If you see some vegetables that you don't like, substitute. Just keep the amount of vegetables the same. Peas, celery, green beans, or peppers would all be good in this soup.