This was one of those Sunday soups, dreamed up on a rainy afternoon with one of my good friends. She brought some tiny chilies from her parents’ garden, which inspired the hot sesame chili oil that gets drizzled on top. Collaboration – it’s the start of all good things.
It’s packed with nourishing ingredients like kale, butternut, and seaweed, all pairing lovely with soba noodles and silky tofu. Feel free to adjust how many chilies you use in the sesame oil, depending on your desire for spice.
P.S. The blog is coming alive tomorrow night! For all my Philly friends, I’ll be running the food truck inside Garage bar, serving up socca with tons of fancy sauces, and simple, quality toppings. 6p.m. till sold out! Introduce yourself. Come say hello. Join me.
On tap:
-Beet Pesto with Arugula & Bulgarian Feta
-Curry Coconut Lentils with Roasted Carrots & Spicy Thai Chili
-Fire-Roasted Eggplant with Black Tahina, Honey Labane, Crispy Chickpeas, and Pomegranate Sauce
Winter Soba Noodle Soup with Chili Sesame Oil
- January 22, 2015
- Serves 6
- Print this
Ingredients
- 13 cups water
- 6 sheets of kombu
- 3 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 lg. butternut, cubed
- 3-4 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch piece of ginger, minced
- 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced (I like a variety of shiitake and white buttons)
- 1 pkg. extra firm tofu, drained and pressed (place tofu block between a towel under a cast iron pan or another heavy object)
- 3/4 bunch of kale, stems stripped, chopped
- 8 oz. soba noodles
- 6 Thai chilies, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup toasted sesame oil
- 4 scallions, chopped
Directions
- Step 1
- Add water and kombu to a large pot, and slowly bring to a simmer. Keep at a low simmer and let cook for 25-30 minutes. Remove kombu and set aside. (You can either discard the kombu, or finely chop it and add it back in later.)
- Step 2
- Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add butternut, and saute for 3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 Tbsp. of soy sauce, and continue to saute until butternut begins to soften, but is still slightly crunchy, about 4-5 minutes. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- Step 3
- Use 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in the saute pan over medium high. Add garlic and ginger. Saute for 2 minutes, and then add mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms get a nice sear. Add to bowl with squash.
- Step 4
- Cube the pressed tofu, and then add remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. of oil to a saute pan over medium-high heat. Place tofu in pan and cook until edges begin to brown, flipping halfway. At first point the tofu begins to stick, add 1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce.
- Step 5
- When broth is ready, add butternut, mushroom/garlic/ginger, and chopped kale to your broth in the large pot. Add noodles. Cover, and bring pan to a rapid simmer. Cook until noodles are tender, 8-10 minutes. Check broth, and add remaining 1 Tbsp. of soy sauce, if needed, and the tofu.
- Step 6
- Over medium-low heat, saute chilies in sesame oil for 3-4 minutes. (Be mindful not to turn the heat too high – toasted sesame oil does not like that.) Serve soup in large bowls, with chili sesame oil drizzled over top. Top with scallions, and enjoy.
