| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time |
| 4people | 35includes time to cook noodles and peel chestnuts | 15minutes |
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4people | 35includes time to cook noodles and peel chestnuts |
| Cook Time |
| 15minutes |
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp brown rice miso unpasteuriszed is best
- 1 hot chilli finely minced
- 1 tbsp yuzu or lemon juice
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water or as needed to make a dolloping sauce
- 2 tsp mirin for the sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin for the mushrooms
- 2 tsp tamari for the sauce
- 1 tbsp tamari for the mushrooms
- 300 gm dry udon noodles cooked according to instructions on the packet
- 1 1/2 cups chestnuts par-cooked and peeled
- 4 tbsp plain sesame oil, ghee or butter
- 4 cups fresh mushrooms assorted, brushed clean and sliced into 2cm slides or chunks
- 2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
- 2 tsp mandarin zest finely minced
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds toasted until golden brown
Servings: people
Ingredients
Servings: people |
Instructions
To peel and par-cook chestnuts
- Place the scored chestnuts in a small pan and cover in cold water.
- Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and allow to cool enough to handle.
- Using a small knife, peel both layers of skin from the chestnuts.
- The outer skin will come away easily. The inner skin may come away easily; if not simmer for a further 5–10 minutes and then peel them.
- They are now ready to use in your recipe or you can bag them and freeze for later use.
Miso dressing
- In a small bowl, combine the miso, chilli and yuzu or lemon juice, mirin and tamari with the water, stir well then set aside until ready to serve the dish.
Udon noodles
- Rinse the cooked noodles in cold water until they are slippery and cold; set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a simmer and cook the chestnuts until they are cooked through but not collapsed, approximately 10 minutes; drain and set aside.
- Bring another pot of salted water to a simmer, ready for reheating the noodles when you are ready to serve.
- Heat the sesame oil, ghee or butter in a frying pan.
- Sauté the mushrooms until soft and brown. Add the chestnuts and stir gently to combine.
- Season with the mirin and tamari and continue to cook for another minute or two.
- Stir the spinach into the mushrooms until just wilted.
- Reheat the noodles in the simmering salted water then drain well.
- Portion the noodles into four deep bowls.
- Top with the mushroom, chestnut and spinach mix.
- Dress with the miso and chilli sauce, to taste.
- Sprinkle a teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds on top and serve while hot.
Recipe Notes
Choosing fresh chestnuts
Look for shiny firm specimens that feel heavy for their size.
Keep them in a cloth or mesh bag in the crisper section in the fridge, for up to two weeks.
Take each chestnut and carefully make a slit from top to bottom down the curved side – these are now ready to bake in the residual coals of a fire or in a heavy pan. They will soften and the skin will burst. When cool, peel and eat.
Sources:
- Image credits to © Holly Davis
