I have been repeatedly cooking this thick and comforting Udon and Vegetable Soup recently. This dish is based on my ‘Monk’s Vegan Soup’ that is called ‘Kenchin-jiru’ in Japan. It is 100% plant-based soup, and it would taste better if you use more variety of ingredients. Thickening the Soup with Potato Starch is optional, but I highly recommend it for this Udon Soup.

Makes

1 Serving

Ingredients

1 cupful Vegetables of your choice *e.g. Daikon, Carrot, Bok Choy, Shiitake, Shimeji, Enoki, Spring Onion, etc.
1 serving Cooked Udon Noodles
1 sheet ‘Abura-age’ (Fried Thin Tofu) *cut into 1cm wide strips

2 teaspoons Potato Starch *mixed with 2 teaspoons Water

Soup
300ml Water
1/2 teaspoon Kombu (Kelp) Dashi Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Mirin
A few drops Sesame Oil

Method
  1. Cut all vegetables into thin strips OR the size that is easy to eat.
  2. Place all the Soup ingredients in a saucepan, and cook Vegetables and Cooked Udon Noodles in the Soup, covered with a lid, over medium low heat. *Note: As some vegetables can be cooked very quickly, cook them accordingly.
  3. When all vegetables are cooked and Udon are soft, add ‘Abura-age’.
  4. Mix Potato Starch mixture well, and gradually add it to the boiling soup as you keep stirring. When the Soup is thickened, it is done. *Note: Thickening the Soup with Potato Starch is optional, but I highly recommend it.