Ingredients:
- 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
- 1 tablespoon sake (Japanese rice wine)
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 small carrots, julienned
- 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 2 packs (about 14 oz) of fresh or frozen udon noodles
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 4 green onions, sliced diagonally
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a large pot, combine the broth, soy sauce, mirin, sake, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the julienned carrots and sliced shiitake mushrooms to the pot. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent them from sticking together.
- Add the cooked udon noodles to the pot, along with the baby spinach leaves and sliced green onions. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, or until the spinach leaves are wilted.
- Stir in the sesame oil and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot. Enjoy!
Optional: You can also add sliced boiled eggs or cooked chicken to the soup for extra protein.