Name: Soba Noodles in Mushroom Broth with Taro and Kabocha Squash
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 medium carrot, 4 oz/115 g, peeled and cut on the diagonal into ovals ¼ in/6 mm thick; 2 tbsp. sake or mirin; ½ tsp. granulated sugar; 12 oz/340 g small taro roots, trimmed, peeled, rinsed, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into slices ¼ in/6 mm thick; 3½ oz/100 g bunashimeji mushrooms, trimmed and pulled apart; 4 oz/115 g daikon radish, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into slices ¼ in/6 mm thick; 1 tsp. Asian sesame oil; 1 naga negi, white and light green part only, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into ovals ¼ in/6 mm. thick; Shichimi togarashi for serving; 1 lb/455 g kabocha squash, seeded, unpeeled, and cut into bite-size cubes; 1 lb/455 g refrigerated or frozen precooked soba noodles (do not thaw the frozen noodles); ⅓ cup/75 ml. mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine); ½ cup/120 ml. light soy sauce; 10 dried shiitake mushrooms; 5 cups/1.2 L boiling water

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Roots

By Diane Morgan

Published 2012

About

I couldn’t wait to dive into this big bowl of nourishment. Japanese soba noodles swim in a savory mushroom broth dense with taro root, daikon, carrot, and kabocha squash. A Japanese market is where you will find: Naga negi, which looks like an oversize green onion (you can substitute a leek); bunashimeji mushrooms are petite, brown button-topped mushrooms sold in clusters (enoki mushrooms can be used in their place); look for precooked soba noodles, in either the