Nabeyaki Udon Soup with Chicken, Spinach, and Mushrooms

Ingredients

• •½ cup dried sardines (about 1 ounce), or 1 (5") piece dried kombu
• •5 ounces mature spinach (about 3/4 bunch), trimmed
• •¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
• •½ cup snow peas
• •2 pieces boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 ounces), cut into 1" pieces
• •7 ounces thinly sliced shiitake, shimeji, or enoki mushrooms, roots trimmed
• •2 pieces (1/2-ounce) pieces fried tofu (aburaage), cut into 1/4" slices (optional)
• •3 tablespoons soy sauce
• •1 teaspoon mirin
• •8 ounces udon noodles
• •½ cup sliced scallions
• •1½ ounces Japanese fish cake, thinly sliced (optional)
• •2 large eggs

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Place sardines or kombu in a large Dutch oven or donabe, fill with 6 cups water, and set aside at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

   60 min

2. 2.

   Meanwhile, cook spinach in a medium pot of boiling salted water until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels. Gently squeeze water from spinach, then transfer to a cutting board and cut into 2" slices. Transfer to a plate. Return liquid to a boil, add snow peas, and cook until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Drain and transfer to plate with spinach. Wipe out pot and reserve.

   5 min

3. 3.

   Bring sardine liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Using slotted spoon, discard sardines, then reduce heat to medium. Add chicken and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, tofu (if using), soy sauce, mirin, and remaining 3/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender, 3-5 minutes.

   10 min

4. 4.

   Meanwhile, cook udon in reserved pot 2 minutes less than package directions.

   5 min

5. 5.

   Bring chicken mixture to a simmer. Drain noodles and add immediately to pot. Add spinach, snow peas, scallions, and fish cake (if using), arranging each into sections and leaving an opening for egg.

   3 min

6. 6.

   Gently beat eggs in a small bowl with a whisk or chopsticks. Pour into broth and cook until just set, about 2 minutes.

   2 min

7. 7.

   Serve soup immediately in pot tableside, portioning into individual bowls.

   1 min