Matsutake Clear Soup (Suimono)

A classic Japanese autumn soup, Matsutake Suimono (Clear Soup) is cooked with seasonal matsutake mushrooms, tofu and mitsuba herb in a clear dashi broth. It's absolutely nourishing and packed with health benefits. 

Matsutake Clear Soup (Suimono)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 matsutake mushroom (1.1 oz, 31 g; use other kinds of mushrooms if matsutake is not available)
• ▢5 oz soft/silken tofu (kinugoshi tofu) (3” x 1.5”, 7.6 x 3.8 cm)
• ▢4 Temari Fu (wheat gluten) (optional; bought in Japan)
• ▢4 sprigs mitsuba (Japanese parsley) (substitute it with a green onion/scallion)
• ▢yuzu zest (or lemon peel)

For dashi

• ▢2 cups water
• ▢1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (0.2 oz, 5 g; 3” x 3”, 7.6 x 7.6 cm)
• ▢1 cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (0.4 oz; 1 handful)

For seasoning

• ▢1 Tbsp sake
• ▢2 tsp mirin
• ▢2 tsp soy sauce
• ▢½ tsp kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Gather all the ingredients.
  

To Prepare Ingredients

• Clean the matsutake mushroom with damp paper towel. Because mushrooms act like a sponge, we try not to wash the mushroom. Shave off a thin sliver of the mushroom stem as if you are sharping a pencil with a knife. Cut into thin slices.
• Tie mitsuba’s sprigs into a knot. If you use scallion, finely slice it.

To Make Dashi

• Gently clean the dashi kombu with a damp cloth but leave the white powdery substances which contribute to the umami flavor in dashi. Do not wash the kombu.
• In a medium pot, put the kombu in the water. Heat up slowly on medium-low heat. If you have time, soak for 3 hours ahead of time or preferably overnight. Kombu’s flavor comes out naturally from soaking in water.
• When boiling, add the katsuobushi. Simmer for just 30 seconds and turn off the heat.
• Strain the dashi through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Gently squeeze to release the extra dashi into the bowl.

To Make Soup

• Transfer the dashi back to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the seasonings.
• Cut tofu into small cubes and add to the soup. Then add sliced matsutake mushrooms and cook until ingredients are heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
• Soak temari fu in water to hydrate. When temari fu is soft, squeeze water out and place it in a serving bowl.
• Add mitsuba in the soup right before serving. Serve the soup into bowls.

https://www.justonecookbook.com/matsutake-clear-soup/