Miso Soup with Udon

Instructions

1. Prepare the dashi
   In a large pot, bring the dashi stock to a gentle simmer over medium heat. If using dashi powder, dissolve it in water according to package instructions. Avoid boiling vigorously as it will diminish the delicate flavors.
2. Cook the vegetables
   In a separate pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the white parts of the green onions and sliced shiitake mushrooms. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the julienned carrots and cook for another minute. Set aside.
3. Cook the udon noodles
   In a separate pot, cook the udon noodles according to package instructions, usually 2-3 minutes for fresh or 8-10 minutes for frozen noodles. Drain and rinse briefly with cold water to prevent sticking. Divide the noodles among four serving bowls.
4. Prepare the miso mixture
   Ladle about 1 cup of the hot dashi into a small bowl. Add the white miso paste (and red miso if using) and whisk until completely dissolved with no lumps. This step prevents the miso from forming clumps when added directly to the pot.
5. Combine the soup
   Lower the heat of the dashi to a bare simmer. Add the dissolved miso mixture, sautéed vegetables, tofu cubes, and rehydrated wakame seaweed. Stir gently and simmer for 2 minutes. Be careful not to boil the soup after adding miso as high heat destroys its flavor and beneficial enzymes.
6. Season and finish
   Add soy sauce and sesame oil to the soup, adjusting to taste. Gently stir to combine all flavors. Remove from heat immediately to preserve the miso's delicate taste.
7. Serve the soup
   Ladle the hot miso soup with vegetables and tofu over the udon noodles in each serving bowl. Garnish with the green parts of the green onions. Serve immediately while hot.