Japanese Udon Bowl

This recipe was created by HSUS’s expert chefs and approved by HSUS’s team of registered dietitians. This recipe is perfect for college & university food service as well as healthcare institutions and hospitals.

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Servings: 12

Ingredients

1 3-ounce package Wood Ear Mushroom, dried
1 3-ounce package Morel Mushrooms, dried
2 ½ gallons Water
1 ¼ cups Vegetable broth
3 ¾ cups Fresh mushrooms (Shiitake, Oyster, and or Shimeji) trim stems, reserve scraps for broth
24 Scallions, 1-inch bottom removed and saved for broth, remaining scallions thinly sliced
12 cloves Garlic, fresh, smashed
8 Onions, yellow, sliced in half
10 Kombu, 4-inch piece
¾ cup Soy sauce, reduced sodium
¾ cup Mirin
1 tsp. Salt
½ cup Vegetable oil, divided
10 cups Napa cabbage, cut into ¾ inch strips
1 pound fresh or 1 12-ounce package dried Udon noodles, fresh or dried

Crispy Sriracha Tofu
2 14-ounce packages Tofu, firm, drained, cut half then cut across into 6 slices
¼ cup Flaxseed, ground
¾ cup Water, warm
4 cups Unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Preparation

1. Combine wood ear mushrooms and morels in a medium saucepan and cover with 2 ½ gallons of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to allow the mixture to simmer slowly for 10 minutes while mushrooms rehydrate. Remove mushrooms from the water and set aside. Reserve the mushroom broth.
2. Add the vegetable broth, fresh mushrooms scrapes, 1” bottom of scallions, garlic, onions, and kombu to the reserved mushroom broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile remove center of wood ear mushrooms and discard. Slice wood ear and morels in to strips and reserve in a bowl. Slice fresh mushrooms, add to the bowl. Add the thinly sliced scallions and set aside the mixture.
4. When broth is finished, strain through a fine mesh strainer. Return to the pot and discard the solids. Add soy sauce, mirin and salt. You should have about two gallons of broth. Keep warm.
5. Prepare the crispy sriracha tofu as listed below.
6. Heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over high heat, until lightly smoky. Add shitakes, oyster mushrooms and shimeji, stir fry until lightly brown completely tender about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup vegetable oil, heat until lightly smoking. Add cabbage and stir fry until lightly charred in spots and tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plate.
7. Cook Udon noodles in boiling water according to package directions. Strain and divide into 12 bowls (1 oz. of noodles). Pour broth over noodles, top with scallions, wood ears, morels, stir fried mushrooms, cabbage and crispy sriracha tofu.

Preparation for Tofu
1. Mix water and ground flax seed together and let set for 5 minutes.
2. Add sriracha and blend well.
3. Using a standard breading procedure (flour, sriracha flax egg mixture and back into the flour), put each piece of tofu through this three-step process.
4. Pan fry, deep fry, or bake until golden brown. If baking, bake in a 425-degree oven until golden brown.

Nutrition information

Calories: 366 Total Fat: 14g Saturated Fat: 1.8g Monounsaturated Fat: 7.1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.4g Trans Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Carbohydrate: 48.8g Fiber: 6.3g Total Sugar: 8.7g Protein: 11.5g Sodium: 1199mg Vitamin A: 19μg Vitamin C: 38.7mg Calcium: 370mg Iron: 4.3mg Folate: 81μg