Name: Soba noodle soup with egg, tofu and broccolini
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 eggs; 360 gm dried soba noodles; 750 ml (3 cups) dashi (see note); 175 gm broccolini, trimmed into florets and stalks thinly sliced, to serve; 1-2 tsp sesame oil; Fried tofu or silken-pressed (momen) tofu, cut into cubes, to serve; Garlic chives or chives, thinly sliced, to serve; Light soy sauce, to taste; 20 ml cooking sake; Togarashi (see note), to serve

Noodle soups are super-satisfying when the weather cools. Buckwheat noodles add plenty of texture and earthy flavour, while restorative dashi broth brings umami-packed comfort.

Ingredients

4 eggs

360 gm dried soba noodles

750 ml (3 cups) dashi (see note)

175 gm broccolini, trimmed into florets and stalks thinly sliced, to serve

1-2 tsp sesame oil

Fried tofu or silken-pressed (momen) tofu, cut into cubes, to serve

Garlic chives or chives, thinly sliced, to serve

Light soy sauce, to taste

20 ml cooking sake

Togarashi (see note), to serve

Method

1.Cook eggs in a saucepan of simmering water over medium-high heat until soft-boiled (6-7 minutes). Drain and refresh under cold water, then peel and cut into halves.

2.Cook noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water over medium-high heat until just tender (3-5 minutes), drain and refresh under cold running water briefly, then drain well.

3.Meanwhile, bring dashi to the boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add broccolini and simmer until just tender (1-2 minutes), then remove broccolini.

4.Add a few drops of oil into four warm serving bowls. Top with noodles, broccolini, egg, tofu and chives. Season dashi with salt to taste (no need to do this if you are using a powdered dashi), add soy sauce and sake, bring to a simmer, then ladle into bowls. Season with togarashi and serve.

To make dashi from scratch, see our dashi recipe, or use an instant dashi powder, available from select supermarkets. Togarashi, Japanese chilli seasoning, is available from Asian supermarkets.
Notes