Leopard's Leap recipe: Speedy miso soup

Ready in under 15 minutes, this takeaway favourite is deceptively simple to prepare. Rich in umami, miso soup gets its flavour from a combination of miso (a fermented soybean paste), seaweed, and dashi – a concentrated stock or powder made from bonito or tuna and kombu seaweed. Most Asian grocers or speciality stores will stock these ingredients.

Here, basic miso soup is further enriched using both fresh and dried shiitake mushrooms and hand-pulled udon noodles. Tofu can also be added in place of the noodles.

Recipe: Speedy miso soup

Recipe by East After Noon

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 litre water
• 4-6 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 50ml dashi stock (liquid) or 1 tablespoon dashi powder
• 1 tablespoon red miso paste
• 4-6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced or left whole
• 2 sheets Nori seaweed, cut into thin strips
• 200g fresh or dried udon noodles
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Method

1. In a saucepan or pot, bring the water to the boil and add in the dried shiitake mushrooms.
2. Simmer for 3 minutes before adding in the dashi. Place the miso paste into a small sieve and immersing the base of the sieve into the broth, stir the paste into the soup.
3. In a separate pan, stir-fry the fresh shiitake mushrooms until lightly browned and add to the soup.
4. Add in the seaweed strips and spring onion and simmer for a further 2 minutes.
5. Cook the noodles as per the packet instructions and add to the soup.
6. Divide the soup between four warmed bowls and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Serve immediately with chilled glasses of Leopard's Leap Unwooded Chardonnay 2024.