Dashi Soup with Springtime Produce
Umami richness meets a gentle freshness.
Delicate and deeply mineralizing, this spring dashi soup draws on the umami richness of seaweed and mushrooms to nourish yin, support digestion, and align with spring’s gentle emergence and renewal.
This soup was first inspired by a restaurant in Oaxaca, Mexico by the name of Crudo. The chef of the restaurant, served a soup with a delicate broth alongside a crunchy vegetable noodle and edible flowers. It was so nourishing and beautiful to consume that I felt pulled to make own version with the ingredients I had on hand.
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 spaghetti squash
1/4 kabocha squash
1 oz Monfefo Ginger Shot
1 kombu leaf
3 dried shiitake mushrooms
16 oz water
oyster mushrooms
Splash of amino acids
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
fresh sprouts
Nasturtium flowers or another edible floral (optional)
Preparation
In a pot, add in 16 oz of filtered water, your kombu sheet and dried shiitakes.
Bring kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms to a boil and then let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Skim off the foam that develops at the top of your broth.
Strain your broth and then add 1 oz of Monfefo Ginger Shot. If you cannot get a Monfefo ginger shot, you can simply grate in a thumb of fresh organic ginger root and add in the juice of half of a lemon.
Let this simmer for another 5 minutes. If you use fresh root, make sure to strain this broth so your stock is nice and clear.
Next, cut 1 spaghetti squash diagonally and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or so with your cut side facing down. This ensures that your squash will be nice and tender.
As your spaghetti squash is baking, steam your kabocha squash. I find that the kabocha squash tastes a little sweeter and a little creamier when steamed. If you don’t want this extra step you can always just roast it alongside the spaghetti squash.
Once your spaghetti squash is ready, let it cool for 5-10 minutes and then scrape out your squash as seen below.
Now cook your mushrooms. My favorite way to enjoy crispy, tender mushrooms is by first pan searing the mushrooms on a medium to high heat, dry skillet for a few minutes. Allow some of the liquid from the mushrooms to push out and dry up first. You can use a wooden spoon to push the mushrooms down a bit to release more liquid. Then add about a tablespoon of olive oil and sear the mushrooms on both sides. About 3-4 minutes on each side. Make sure to salt and pepper both sides.
Just when you think the mushrooms are ready, I like to add in a splash of amino acids or soy sauce to give them a delicious umami flavor while not compromising your mushroom crunch. Let this cook for just another 30 seconds.
Now you can begin to plate your dish:
Simply add your spaghetti squash in the middle of your bowl in the shape of a ball. Then add in a ladle of broth. Next arrange in your kabocha squash, sprouts, edible flowers and mushrooms.
Top with more amino acids if you would like.
Enjoy my loves!
Till next Sunday.
With light,
Justine