Lemon and mushroom miso broth

Lemon and mushroom miso broth by Aoife McElwain. Photograph: Ruth Medjber
Lemon and mushroom miso broth by Aoife McElwain. Photograph: Ruth Medjber
Serves: 2
Course: Dinner, lunch

Ingredients

  • Generous handful or two of dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp of olive, vegetable, or coconut oil
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 500ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • 1 tbsp of teriyaki sauce (optional)
  • ½ lemon
  • 2 servings of ramen noodles
  • ½ block of smoked or firm tofu, chopped into cubes
  • 1 spring onion, finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp of peanut rayu or chilli oil

1. Put the dried mushrooms into a bowl and top with about 250ml of hot water. Leave to soak for about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the cooking oil in a large pot or saucepan over a medium to low heat.

3. Gently fry the ground ginger, garlic powder and chilli flakes for one or two minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.

4. Put the miso paste in a small bowl. Using a ladle or large spoon, transfer some of the hot stock to the bowl with the miso, mixing really well until the miso is very well combined. This is an important step as the miso can sometimes remain clumpy in the broth otherwise.

5. Add the miso and stock mixture back into your broth. Add the teriyaki sauce, if using, and squeeze in the juice of the half lemon.

6. Remove the mushrooms from the 200ml of water, which will now be a nice mushroom-tinted broth. Add this liquid to the miso broth and gently simmer the broth, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes or until the flavours start to come together.

7. Finely slice the rehydrated mushrooms and add to the broth.

8. When ready to serve, cook the ramen noodles according to the packet instructions. You can also serve this broth with boiled rice if you don’t have noodles.

9. Divide the noodles, tofu and miso broth between two bowls. Top with the spring onions and a dollop of peanut rayu or chilli oil.