From “Japanese Light,” by Kimiko Barber. Serves 2.
Ingredients
7 ounces dried udon noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 ounces beef top round, thinly sliced
1 medium leek, thinly sliced diagonally
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into matchstick-sized pieces
1/3 cup noodle dipping sauce (see below)
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons medium-colored miso paste
Sansho (a green powdered spice often called Japanese pepper) for garnish
Directions
Cook the noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Add a glass of cold water when it is about to boil over. Let the water return to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes longer. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water and drain well.
Put a saucepan over moderate heat, add the vegetable oil and saute the beef and leek. Add the ginger, dipping sauce and water—you may vary the amount of water to suit your taste. Add the miso paste gradually to ensure it dissolves completely. Add the noodles and continue to heat for another 2-3 minutes, but do not let the liquid boil as this will spoil the miso flavor. Divide the noodle soup between two serving bowls and offer with sansho pepper.
Noodle Dipping Sauce
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
Ingredients
2 postcard-sized pieces of kombu (kelp seaweed)
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
4 3/4 cups water
3/4 cup mirin (sweet cooking sake)
1/3 cup sake
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/4 ounces bonito flakes
Directions
In a large glass bowl, put the kombu and mushrooms in the 4 3/4 cups water and leave to infuse in the refrigerator overnight.
Put the mirin and sake in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Add the soy sauce and sea salt and return to a boil over high heat. Add the bonito flakes once the liquid reaches the boil, then reduce the heat and continue simmering 5 minutes.
Let the sauce cool to room temperature before straining it through a sieve lined with paper towels. Put the sauce in a sterilized glass jar and store in the fridge.
