Have you known that there are so many kinds of edible wild plants in Japan?
Even though they don’t look like edible for many foreigners, some of Japanese people eager to eat seasonal edible wild plants.
Those plants are differ in each region, and when it comes to the one in my home town, UDO (Aralia cordata) is my favorite.
Fortunatelly, I found UDO which was produced in my home town! Because I’ve never known it’s available in Tokyo, I felt so happy at the store.
My mom used to cook boiled UDO with sesame sauce. I loved the flavor of UDO and it matched so well with sweet and sour sesame sauce.
I will try new recipe for UDO using delicious miso paste for today.
I think miso soup will enhance the charm of UDO!
【Recipe (2 servings)】
Ingredients
1 oz miso paste (fermented soybean paste)*1
1 teaspoon dashi granules*2
3.5 oz udo, Peel skin and Cut into thin rectangles
0.7 oz (1 sheet) thin fried tofu, Cut into rectangles
1/2 teaspoons dried wakame (a type of seaweed)
1.7 cups (400ml) water
(Prepare extra water to soak UDO, and to reconstitute dried wakame)
*1 Feel free to adjust the amounts of miso paste to your liking.
*2 If miso paste already contains dashi, don’t need dashi granules.
Directions
1. Soak UDO in water for 10-15 min to remove harshness of UDO.
2. Combine dried wakame with boiled water and wait until reconstituted. (takes about 1 min)
3. Drain in a sieve and wash with cold water lightly.
4. Heat water and UDO for 3 min. (Sorry but I forgot to take a picture of this). Please boil UDO first.
Then add thin fried tofu, wakame, and dashi granules. Simmer again for 2 min and remove from heat.
5. Add miso paste and stir until miso is completely melted.
Ready to eat!
The flavor of UDO is phenomenal! Also you can enjoy the crisp texture of it.
Just like JAPANESE BUTTERBUR miso soup, edible wild plants always match so well with fried tofu!
Please feel this traditional, fresh, and great flavor of UDO
Enjoy your miso soup!
