Roasted Garlic Miso Noodle Soup with Seared King Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 2 heads garlic
• Pinch salt
• Drizzle olive oil
• 1 large king oyster mushroom
• Neutral cooking oil
• Pinch salt
• Splash soy sauce (to taste)
• 1.5 tbsp white miso paste
• 4-5 cups water ( or vegetable broth, divided (see motes))
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp Yondu umami seasoning ( or more soy sauce, to taste (see notes))
• 1 tbsp hon mirin (, see notes)
• 2 bundles ramen noodles (or wheat noodles of choice (180 g dry total))
• Seared king oyster mushrooms
• Sliced green onion or scallions
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Chili oil (for topping)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- ROASTED GARLIC ---

2. 2

   Preheat your oven or air fryer to 350F/180C.

3. 3

   Slice the top 1/2inch of the garlic to reveal the cloves. Add a pinch of salt and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

4. 4

   Wrap the garlic heads in aluminum foil and bake/air-fry until the top is golden brown and the cloves are buttery soft.

5. 5

   If baking, bake the garlic for 30-35 minutes or until buttery soft.

6. 6

   If air-frying, you can start at 25 minutes or until cooked through. Do note that air fryer settings can vary.

7. 7

   --- MUSHROOMS ---

8. 8

   If using 1 large king oyster mushroom, you can slice this in half to have 2 pieces you can work with easier. I shaved some of the bottom end of the mushroom since large king oyster mushrooms can be a bit rubbery at the bottom.

9. 9

   Slice each piece into 1/4-1/2 inch thick pieces. You should have 1/4-1/2 inch thick rectangular pieces.

10. 10

    Lightly score each piece to create a cross-hatch pattern. This allows for more flavors to seep through, and they also look pretty!

11. 11

    Heat a small non-stick pan or skillet over medium heat. Add oil.

12. 12

    Once the oil is hot, add the sliced mushrooms, scored side down first and pan-fry until lightly golden brown. Sprinkle some salt over the mushrooms.

13. 13

    You can press down on the mushrooms to get them to flatten and get a nicer brown on the pan.

14. 14

    When golden brown on the a red side, flip the mushrooms over. Add a light drizzle of soy sauce.

15. 15

    Pan-fry until golden brown on the remaining side.

16. 16

    Remove from the pan and set aside until ready to use.

17. 17

    --- BROTH ---

18. 18

    Remove the garlic cloves from the head and discard any skin. Add the buttery soft roasted garlic cloves into a blender along with the miso paste, and 1 cup of water. Blend until smooth.

19. 19

    Pour the miso garlic broth through a strainer into a medium sized pot.

20. 20

    Add the 3 cups of the water. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

21. 21

    Season with soy sauce, yondu umami seasoning (or more soy sauce), and hon mirin (or an alternative, see notes). Taste the broth and adjust to desired taste, as needed.

22. 22

    Leave the broth to simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes. You can add the additional 1/2 to 1 cup water, if desired, or if you want a less rich broth.

23. 23

    --- NOODLES ---

24. 24

    Heat a pot of water. Once it boils, add the noodles. Cook until chewy or al dente to your liking.

25. 25

    Drain the noodles from the water and transfer to a bowl.

26. 26

    --- TO SERVE ---

27. 27

    Carefully add boiling hot broth over the noodles. Top with the king oyster mushrooms.

28. 28

    Add sliced green onions or scallions. Finish with a generous amount of chili oil and sesame seeds.

29. 29

    Serve while hot and enjoy!