Matsutake Clear Soup (Suimono)

• servings: 2 servings
• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 matsutake mushroom (1.1 oz, 31 g; use other kinds of mushrooms if matsutake is not available) 1.1 31

5 oz soft/silken tofu (kinugoshi dofu) (3 x 1.5 inches, 7.6 x 3.8 cm) 3 x 1.5 7.6 x 3.8

4 Temari Fu (wheat gluten) (optional; I bought it in Japan)

4 sprigs mitsuba (Japanese parsley) (substitute it with a green onion/scallion)

yuzu zest (or lemon peel)

2 cups water

1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (0.2 oz, 5 g; 3 x 3 inches, 7.6 x 7.6 cm per piece) 0.2 5

1 cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (0.4 oz; 1 handful) 0.4 1

1 Tbsp sake

2 tsp mirin

2 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Directions

Gather all the ingredients.

To Prepare the Ingredients

Clean 1 matsutake mushroom with a damp paper towel. Because mushrooms absorb moisture like a sponge, we try not to wash the mushroom. Shave off a thin sliver of the mushroom stem as if you are sharping a pencil with a knife. Cut into thin slices.

Tie a knot in each stem of 4 sprigs mitsuba (Japanese parsley). If you use scallion, finely slice it.

To Make the Dashi

Gently clean 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) with a damp cloth but leave the white powdery substance which contributes to the umami flavor in the dashi. Do not wash the kombu.

In a medium pot, put the kombu in 2 cups water. Heat up slowly on medium-low heat. If you have time, soak for 3 hours ahead of time or preferably overnight. The kombu’s flavor comes out naturally from soaking in water.

When boiling, add 1 cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). Simmer for just 30 seconds and turn off the heat.

Strain the dashi through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Gently squeeze to release the extra dashi into the bowl.

To Make the Soup

Transfer the dashi back to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the seasonings: 1 Tbsp sake, 2 tsp mirin, 2 tsp soy sauce, and ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Cut 5 oz soft/silken tofu (kinugoshi dofu) into small cubes and add to the soup. Then, add sliced matsutake mushrooms and cook until ingredients are heated through, about 2–3 minutes.

Soak 4 Temari Fu (wheat gluten) in water to hydrate. When the temari fu is soft, squeeze the water out and place it in a serving bowl.

Add the mitsuba to the soup right before serving.

To Serve

Serve the soup into bowls and garnish with yuzu zest on top.

Nutrition

• Calories: 33 kcal
• Total Fat: 1 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
• Sodium: 340 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 3 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 2 g
• Protein: 1 g