SHRIMP UDON SOUP

Buy a package of fresh (not dried) udon noodle that has a shrimp flavor packet. This will be in the refrigerated section of the neighbor Japanese grocery store or the Japanese section of the regular supermarket. If fresh is not available, you can substitute frozen noodles. Otherwise, you will have to make the noodles yourself using semolina flour, regular flour, and eggs, as you would for standard pasta. These noodles are thicker than Italian noodles, however.

• 4 cups water
• 1 mushroom bouillon cube
• ¾ tsp clam or crab soup base, or to taste
• ¾ tsp vegetable soup base, or to taste
• flavor packet from shrimp udon noodle soup (You can substitute additional clam soup base, fish stock, or shrimp stock)
• ¾ tsp Oriental chili paste, or to taste
• 4-5 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger (You can substitute ¾ tsp dried ginger, not recommended.)
• 2-4 stalks of celery, with leaves, thinly sliced
• 6-8 white or brown mushrooms, sliced
• one 16 oz. Package fresh udon noodles (or homemade)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, or to taste
• ½ tsp light soy sauce, or to taste
• ½ pound cooked, shelled shrimp
• 4 green onions, chopped, using all the green parts
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

Put the water in a large pan on high heat. Add the soup flavorings, celery, garlic, ginger, chili paste, and mushrooms in that order. Reduce heat when it comes to a boil. Boil for about 3-4 minutes after mushrooms have been added. Add noodles and boil two more minutes. Turn off heat and add sesame oil, soy sauce, shrimp, and green onions in that order. You can reserve the green onions as a garnish, and add cilantro, if desired. Cilantro will make it taste more like Thai or Vietnamese soup; otherwise it will taste Japanese.

Serve immediately. If you want to make it ahead or save leftovers, stop before adding the shrimp, and save the last items to be added after it is reheated. You can also leave out the noodles until reheating, if you are afraid they will get soggy.