Soba Noodles with Miso Broth

Soba is a Japanese pasta made with buckwheat and wheat flour. For more heat, add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper instead of 1/4 teaspoon. Although their tough texture makes them undesirable to eat, the shiitake stems are used to flavor the chicken broth, then discarded.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup noodles, 1 1/2 cups broth, 1/4 cup cabbage, about 1 1/2 tablespoons carrots, about 1 1/2 tablespoons onions, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds)

Ingredients

• 8  ounces  shiitake mushrooms
• 9  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  (5-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, sliced
• 1  whole garlic head, peeled and crushed
• 3  tablespoons  yellow miso (soybean paste)
• 1  (14-ounce) package extrafirm tofu, drained and diced
• 1  tablespoon  dark sesame oil
• 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 12  ounces  buckwheat soba noodles
• 1 1/2  cups  shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage
• 1/2  cup  shredded carrots
• 1/2  cup  finely sliced green onions
• 2  tablespoons  toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Remove stems from mushrooms. Reserve stems. Slice mushroom caps into (1/4-inch) julienne strips; set aside.

Combine stems, broth, ginger, and garlic in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Strain broth through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Add miso to broth, stirring well with a whisk. Add tofu. Cover and keep warm.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms caps and pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until browned. Add to broth mixture.

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.

Place 2/3 cup noodles into each of 6 shallow bowls; pour 1 1/2 cups hot broth mixture over each serving. Garnish each serving with 1/4 cup cabbage, about 1 1/2 tablespoons carrots, about 1 1/2 tablespoons onions, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

423 (21% from fat)

Fat:

10g (sat 1.8g,mono 3g,poly 4.3g)

Protein:

22.9g

Carbohydrate:

63.1g

Fiber:

7.7g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

9.9mg

Sodium:

905mg

Calcium:

142mg