Soba Noodle with Mushroom and Pork Dipping Sauce

I can never get enough of mushroom. For mushroom lovers like me, the Pacific Northwest is perfect place, especially in Autumn.

Among all the mushroom dishes, this mushroom and pork soba noodle dish is quite often on my table. When deep rich umami from mushrooms and pork are cooked with dashi stock, it is a umami bomb in your mouth. The temperature differences between the chilled noodle and hot dipping sauce is amazingly addictive. I always know I say “Why didn’t I cooked more noodles? Needs more!”, after eating up it.

I use shimeji mushrooms for this noodle dish often because of its aroma, it holds the texture well even after simmering, and available all the year. However, of course, any kinds of your favorite mushroom can work here. I enjoy finding wild mushroom at their best in farmers market, and just put it in. Whenever I see wild matsutake mushroom here, it is mandatory to make this dish. Dried mushroom works really well here too, such as dried shiitake. Just hydrate them first, and use it as you use fresh mushrooms. My favorite dried mushroom here is actually dried porcini, it really goes well for soy flavor.

This noodle dish is dipping style, the chilled noodle dipped in hot soup. Because of that, dipping soup is slightly saltier and soup base noodle bowls.  But if you like to have hot soup noodle bowl, add just little more dashi stock. It warms up you in cold winter.

Do not forget to serve it with spicy condiment-ichimi togarashi! It adds a kick to the dish!

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5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 5 ea garlic cloves, slice thinly
• 1/2 tbsp peeled, finely shredded ginger
• 4 oz thinly sliced pork
• 6 oz shimeji mushroom, cur off the bottom and tear by hand
• 3 cup dashi stock
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 3 tbsp sake
• 3 ea green onion, slice diagonally
• 3 bundles soba noodle
• ichimi togarashi for garnish

Instructions

• In a pot, heat sesame oil, garlic, and ginger and cook until the garlic releases its own aroma. Add pork and cook. Add shimeji mushroom and cook. Pour dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and sake. Just it comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer. Add white parts of green onion and cook for a minute. Reserve green parts for garnish later. 
• Bring a large pot to boil for the noodle. Cook the soba noodle according to the instruction of the package. Drain the pot and rinse the noodle with ice water. Once the noodle is chilled, strain it completely.
• Divide the noodle into three plates with three individual bowls of dipping soup. Serve with green parts of green onions, ichimi togarashi pepper on side.