Spicy Bowl of Udon Soup

For a couple of years now I’ve been enjoying a spicy Asian soup at a downtown Toronto cafeteria-style eatery. They have a hot table of noodles, rice, various Asian eats, dim-sum and soups.

I always go right for their Bowl of Udon. Spicy, comforting and rather filling! However there’s a problem. I live in the ‘burbs, this eatery is downtown. If I have a craving I have to travel 30 minutes (at least) to get into the city to satiate my Udon craving.

Last week, my left-coast buddy Katerina of Daily Unadventures in Cooking had posted her Tom Yum Gung Soup and it finally gave me the confidence to try my hand at my own Spicy Bowl of Udon! I’ve given you photos of the eatery’s version and mine and Hells Bells…I did it!

The ingredient list is long but the prep & assembly is easy and the end result tastes so complex!

Feeds 4

Step 1

1. Set up your “mise en place” or have your soup ingredients prepared so that you can divide & distribute the ingredients among the serving bowls.
2. Prepare the following is separate dishes:

• 1/2 red bell pepper sliced
• 1/2 green bell pepper sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 4 green onions chopped
• 1 lb of sliced white mushrooms
• left over chicken breast or cooked white chicken meat, thin sliced
• 16 medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 4 little packettes of seaweed (the kind for rolling sushi), hand torn
• 4 Tbsp of coarsely chopped basil
• 4 Tbsp of fresh chopped coriander
• 4 lime quarters for garnish
• Sriracha sauce for drizzle at end

Step 2 – Your Broth

1. In a large pot on high heat, add 8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
2. Add 3 lime leaves, 6 Tbsp of Thai fish sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 3 stalks of lemongrass (bruised & chopped), 2 Tbsp Chinese 5-spice, 4 cloves of minced garlic, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 dried red chile, 2 tsp cracked black pepper, 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger, oyster sauce to taste.
3. As soon as the broth comes to a boil, cover and lower to simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Throw your Udon noodles in the broth to cook for 2 minutes. Remove the noodles and divide among your serving bowls. Keep broth on simmer to keep hot.
5. Divide and place all ingredients listed in Step 1 (#2) and place in bowl on top of the noodles.
6. Use a ladle to spoon the hot broth over the soup ingredients and allow the broth to steep and cook the shrimp for 5 minutes.
7. Garnish with lime quarters and offer Sriracha Sauce for those wanting an extra zing!