Finding time to cook a healthy and balanced meal can be a pain. Here’s a recipe that lets you do both in a snap - and discover new flavors to boot.
Many kids like to stick with favorites they love, such as chicken nuggets and pizza. However, sampling the cuisines of other areas of the world can expose your taste buds to new flavors you’ve never experienced. For example, have you ever tasted a delicious burrito? What about something more exotic, like jackfruit, couscous, dim sum, quinoa, or kimchi?
You may not understand a whole lot of Korean, but you've certainly heard of the word "kimchi." What pops up in your mind at the sound of this word? Most likely it's a plate of fermented cabbages or radishes whose red color can be attributed to chili powder and a blend of spicy seasonings. It is always served at that popular Korean restaurant in town as an appetizer. "Kimchi," you mutter to yourself. What is kimchi? For the uninitiated, a basic overview of this savory Korean delicacy is in order.
To put it briefly, kimchi is a fermented vegetable dish. There are a multitude of varieties available, but the one that Americans are most in the know about is made from salted napa cabbage and spices. Kimchi is often mixed with other vegetables like radish, onion, and garlic. It makes for a great low-carb, vegan snack and can be prepared in hundreds of ways. Some regional varieties are made with cucumber, and kimchi often has a spicy kick due to the red pepper flakes in it.
Japanese cuisine is widely celebrated all over the world, owing to its umami flavors and use of a variety of fresh ingredients. While sashimi and sushi are probably the two most popular dishes, Japanese noodles have also captured the attention of many.
Take note that I’m not referring to the highly processed instant noodles that deliver nothing but empty calories and additives these can harm your health. Rather, we’re referring to truly authentic Japanese noodles, in particular, udon noodles.
Udon is white colored, thick noodles made by kneading wheat flour, salt, and water. They're thicker and more consistent as compared to ramen but served in a similar manner. They're presented with Udon broth, which is pretty standard, however, new versions of the broth are always emerging. You can simply devour them or add vegetables, meat, tempura and what not to your bowl. Often described as a food that’s fun to eat, the chewy texture and mild flavor of udon noodles make them almost impossible not to like.
What do you get, when you combine the spicy and flavorsome flavor from kimchi, with the soft and savory taste from the udon noodles and broth? You get a soup that is so sublimely satisfying and nourishing that you'll never go back to kimchi-free udon soup again.
Ingredients:
1. 7 Oz. frozen Udon noodles
2. 1 cup Kimchi (Usually found in refrigerator section of produce area)
3. 1 uncooked egg
4. 2 Oz. of Kamaboko (Japanese fish cake)
5. 1/2 cup Extra firm tofu, cubed 1/2" cubes
6. 1 Tbs. of Hon Tsuyu
7. Smattering of Wakame
8. 2 cups of water
Directions:
1. Place water, Wakame, and Hon Tsuyu into a medium sized sauce pan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Once boiling, add the Udon, allow to simmer for a couple of minutes to absorb the flavor from the broth.
3. After about 4-5 minutes, add the tofu, kimchi, and Kamaboko. Stir until all is incorporated.
4. When the soup is done simmering, crack the uncooked egg, drop it into the soup and let it poach for about 3 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and divide soup between desired number of bowls, garnish with any additional toppings of your choosing such as bean sprouts and scallions.