Every year, my body fights a losing battle with itself between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Maybe you can relate?
Surrounded by rich, fatty, sugar-laden holiday food, I crave something nourishing and easy to digest whenever I have a meal to myself. But it’s also getting colder out, and salads and poached chicken are not at all appealing when my body is clamoring for hibernation food (Carbs! Carbs! Carbs!). So instead of taking those moments to rebalance my body, I find myself excavating boxes of mac and cheese or cereal from the pantry. Not exactly nourishing.
If you’re like me, right now you’re craving food that is both light and satisfying, nourishing and delicious, something that will warm you up and balancing you out, feeding body and soul. In moments like these, there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of Brothy Udon Noodles with Mushrooms and Bok Choy.
Plump, succulent udon noodles floating in a steaming ginger and mushroom broth, fragrant with umami goodness. Rich and comforting, yet light and easy to digest, it’s the perfect meal to warm your body and soul on blustery cold days, while simultaneously balancing your stomach against the rich holiday food.
Dig in with chopsticks or a fork and snag a piece of crisp-tender bok choy or tender, earthy mushroom. Twirl up bite after bite of chewy noodles. And when only the tiniest bits of garlic and ginger remain, floating in the clear fragrant broth, drop all utensils and drink it like a mug of tea. If that doesn’t say warm and comforting, I don’t know what does.
When the temperature is dropping and dinner the last several nights has consisted of holiday charcuterie boards and cookie platters, these Brothy Udon Noodles are the perfect thing to satisfy. So grab a bowl and settle in for a meal that will fill you with comfort and warmth, from your first bite of noodle to your last sip of broth.
Enjoy!
Brothy Udon Noodles with Mushrooms and Bok Choy
(Serves 4)
1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
8 oz udon or soba noodles
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
3 scallions, white parts finely sliced, green parts thinly sliced on a diagonal and reserved for garnish
1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups vegetable broth, either unsalted or low sodium
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1- 1 ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, as needed
1-2 heads baby bok choy (about 5 ½ oz), white stalks and green leaves separated, white stalks sliced vertically in half
Method
Rinse dried mushrooms and place in a heat-proof container. Cover with 3 cups hot water and soak at room temperature until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove mushrooms from water, pressing to wring out as much liquid out. Reserve soaking liquid. Slice mushrooms thinly and set aside separate from the liquid.
Meanwhile, fill a large deep pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Cook udon noodles until tender and toothsome, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from water and toss with sesame oil. Keep warm.
Empty the water from the noodle pot; add 2 tablespoons oil and return to medium heat. Add sliced white scallions, garlic, ginger, and ¼ tsp kosher salt, and saute until scallions is translucent and the garlic and ginger are fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon oil and reserved sliced mushrooms and saute briefly to incorporate.
Add vegetable broth, reserved mushroom soaking liquid, 2 cups water, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Taste broth and add up to 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt (the amount you add will depend on how salty the vegetable broth was). Bring broth to a boil; add white bok choy stalks and simmer until tender, about 2 minutes. Add greens and simmer just until wilted, about 1 minute.
Divide noodles between four bowls and ladle broth over top. Garnish with green scallions.
Originally posted November 27, 2020.