Earlier this week we posted about about Tara Austen Weaver's new ebook Tales from a High Mountain. Tara shared with us a recipe from the book that's perfect for fall: a simple udon noodle served with shredded carrots, spinach and shiitake mushrooms.
Like much of Japanese cooking, the beauty and taste lies in the simplicity of the recipe. Udon is a perfect dish for a light supper on a cool night, as the first of the autumn leaves gently rattle in the trees.
Autumn Udon with Vegetables
Serves one; multiply as needed
I like to make this udon dish in the fall, when I often crave Japanese food. It's a satisfying cold-weather dish of chewy noodles with vegetable and a hot broth. You can add either tofu or kamaboko fish cakes. I like the types that have vegetables mixed in with them.
1 8 oz serving of fresh udon
1 tbs tsuyu (may come in flavor packet with udon noodles)
1/4 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup spinach
1 ounce tofu or kamaboko fish cake (these come in many flavors, I like carrot)
3 dried shiitake mushrooms
Following the package directions, bring some water to a simmer and add the noodles and mushrooms. Let simmer until both have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tsuyu or flavor packet to make a broth.
Remove and slice the mushrooms (unless you prefer them whole). Submerge the greens in the broth briefly, to wilt them. Do the same with the carrots and fish cake or tofu, just to warm them up a bit.
Pour into a serving bowl and top with the mushrooms. Serve hot.
Reprinted from Tales from a High Mountain, with permission.
Related:
• What's the Difference: Soba, Udon, and Rice Noodles
• A Love Song for Japan: Tales from a High Mountain e-book
(Images: Tara Austen Weaver)
Peeler by Normann C...

Comments (9)
This looks so lovely! I adore udon in any way, shape or form. I'd love to see more Asian-inspired dishes on The Kitch!
Kitchn. Oops! :)
Perfect comfort food for fall!! Loved Tara's book--everyone should read it!
This looks wonderful!! What are the nutritional values??
I'm so glad to see the printer-friendly button! THANK you for that.
I'm having a hard time finding tsuyu. I've found a recipie online, but I don't want to buy many ingredients to make something I may only use once. Are there any suitable replacements?
Jaimemariel--you can buy bottles of pre-made tsuyu in Asian grocery stores, and some packages of noodles come with a small packet of tsuyu (this is usually a concentrate that should be thinned with water, check the label for any numbers to figure out the ratio, the instructions are usually not in English).
If you want a REAL short cut, I would take the water used for soaking the shiitake mushrooms, drain out any sediment, and add some soy sauce and perhaps some rice vinegar to it. It won't taste the same, but it is a super cheater method of making a passable sauce.
Best of luck with it!
I was able to go to an Asian grocer and find tsuyu. I don't eat fish, and its fish based sooo... thanks for the other suggestion! Will try it!
Tea, thanks for the suggestion--I know it may not taste the same, but as a vegetarian, I appreciate having an alternate option.