- If I could make just one
dish for a mushroom skeptic, it would definitely be this
creamy umami noodle soup. Let me explain. The reason a lot of people
don't like mushrooms has nothing to do with the taste. It's all about the texture, which can sometimes be soggy or slimy, and that is the beauty of this recipe. The mushrooms get cooked down
until they're super crispy, then paired with bouncy udon
noodles and creamy broth for a meal that will convert even the most stubborn mushroom skeptic. (relaxing music) You can use really any kind
of mushroom in this recipe, though I do think it's best to use a couple different varieties. Start by wiping off any
visible dirt on the mushrooms with a paper towel. And for chubby varieties,
like a shiitake or a cremini, you wanna slice them
pretty thinly so you end up with the best possible texture. Now if you want the crispiest texture, I recommend seeking out oyster mushrooms. For oyster mushrooms, or really
any kind of soft mushrooms, you don't have to slice them like this. You can tear them apart with your fingers. It's really fun and they get
super crispy in the oven. The thinner you tear them,
the crispier they will get, but keep an eye on them because the thin ones do burn quickly. (relaxing music continues) As you go through this process of tearing and slicing mushrooms,
you will probably end up with a fair amount of mushroom scraps. I like to add mine to
a large bag like this and I pop it in the freezer and wait until I have enough
mushrooms to make a batch of homemade mushroom broth. Now grab a rimmed sheet pan and brush it with oil so
the mushrooms don't stick. (relaxing music continues) Drizzle some more oil on the mushrooms, about two tablespoons for a
heaping pound of mushrooms, and any neutral-flavored oil or even olive oil works fine here. And season well with some salt. Then just toss to combine. I lied, you're actually
gonna grab two sheet pans. Because if you just put all
the mushrooms on one pan, they won't crisp up as much and the mushroom skeptics
will not be impressed. Into the oven, they go
at 425 degrees Fahrenheit or 220 Celsius. After 15 minutes, you can already see how much they've cooked down and are really starting to transform. Give them a toss and then
back into the oven, they go, for about 10 minutes or until they are beautifully browned and delightfully crispy. While the mushrooms roast, we can use this time to cook our noodles. I personally love this soup so much with fresh udon noodles like this. They are bouncy and chewy, yet tender. You can find them at East
Asian grocery stores, but if you don't have them, don't worry. You can use lots of different
fresh or dried noodles. I've got some options in the blog post that accompanies this video. Just don't use anything that's too thin because it won't hold up to
the creaminess of the broth. (relaxing music continues) Another reason I adore
fresh udon noodles is that they need just two minutes to cook. So keep an eye on them. And grab a chopstick. You can use that to separate the bundles
while they're cooking. Once the noodles are cooked through, drain them in a colander and drizzle with just a little
bit of toasted sesame oil. That way they don't stick together and you get a little extra flavor. (relaxing music continues) Next, we'll turn to the broth,
which is loosely inspired by Japanese miso ramen. And for a really flavorful broth, you need some high-impact aromatics. We'll start by chopping six garlic cloves, and the garlic does not need to be pretty, so I'm just gonna smash down
on the cloves with my knife to make it easier to remove the peel. The garlic is gonna go
into a blender later on, so it doesn't need to
be a fine chop either. (relaxing music continues) For the ginger, I don't
always peel my ginger, as you might know, but I
wanna smooth consistency to our broth, so I am gonna
take the time to peel it today. Ginger is tougher than
garlic, so I do finely chop it just to make sure there are no
chunks in the soup later on. You can start by slicing
the ginger into long spears, then cutting those into
skinny matchsticks. And from there, it's pretty
easy to give it a fine chop. (relaxing music continues) We've also got a bunch of scallions. Make sure to rinse them under cool water 'cause they can be kind of dirty. Then slice the white and
green parts into fairly small pieces, and we'll also thinly
slice the dark green tops and save them for our garnish. Finally, some spicy Thai chili peppers. These are already pretty
small, so just go ahead and slice them thinly. For me, three to four
of these Thai chilies is the perfect amount of heat,
spicy but not overpowering. But you should tailor
this to your spice level. So if you want a little bit of heat but not a lot, you could
do half of a serrano pepper or half of a jalapeno pepper. And if you've got baby mouth,
(baby crying) just omit the peppers entirely,
it'll still be delicious. Heat up a frying pan over medium heat. If you've got a stainless
steel pan like this, you can tell when it's ready
by adding a droplet of water. If it beads up, you are good to go and your food should not stick. Add in a tablespoon of oil and once it's shimmering,
drop in those aromatics. These need about three to four minutes and make sure to stir
frequently so nothing burns. (relaxing music continues) If you end up with a lot
of brown bits on the bottom of the pan, you can deglaze
with a splash of water. Alright, grab a blender and do your best to transfer
the aromatics without spilling. And now it's just time to add
the rest of the ingredients. I'm adding a generous two
tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce and two tablespoons of white miso. These are going to give the
broth a super savory backbone. We'll also add in a
tablespoon of rice vinegar. It is slightly sweet and acidic and it's gonna be a nice contrast to all of the savory ingredients, and a quarter teaspoon of
white pepper, which I adore. Since this is a soup with mushrooms, I like to use mushroom broth,
at least when I can find it, 'cause it makes the soup even more savory. Or if you have something like
a vegan chicken broth base or vegan chicken bouillon,
you can use that as well. (relaxing music continues) Our last two ingredients here are soy milk and roasted sesame seeds. These two are going to make
the broth incredibly creamy, which is gonna pair so well
with those bouncy noodles and crispy mushrooms. There is so much good flavor in here. And now all we need to do is blend it up. (relaxing music continues)
(mixer whirs) Once the broth is smooth
and creamy, give it a taste. See if it needs any flavor adjustments. It should be quite savory and salty. Wow. But if it needs an extra boost, go ahead and add a dash more of soy sauce. Pour the broth back into
the sauce pan we used for the noodles earlier and gradually bring it to a
simmer over medium low heat. Make sure to whisk it frequently and do not increase the heat because it will bubble over on you. It's gonna get pretty
thick from the soy milk and the sesame seeds. So add a couple splashes of
mushroom broth if needed, to get it to your ideal consistency. (relaxing music continues) All of our delicious components are ready, so it is time to serve our soup. Now would be a good time
to turn off this video if you don't want to end
up really, really hungry. Get some noodles in your serving bowl and pour that hot creamy broth on top. Add a healthy portion of those crispy mushrooms plus
the reserved scallion greens, and if you like things spicy like I do, some sliced fresh chilies
or chili crisp or both. (relaxing music continues) (indistinct) This is honestly one of the
best things I have ever made. I don't say that lightly. It is so savory. It is an umami lover's dream. The crispy mushrooms
are such a nice contrast with the creamy broth
and the chewy noodles. I cannot get enough of it. So if you wanna make it at home, get the principal recipe linked below, and if you want even more soup recipes, I've got a short playlist here. I'll see you in the next video, bye.
