The soup with knock the cold right out of you. I make everytime I feel the sniffles coming on, and much more often than that. At least 50% of the time, when I ask Senor Lanky what he wants to eat, this is what he requests.I don’t actually every use a recipe for this – I just make it as I go, so feel free to adjust the ingrediants for your preferred level of *kapow*.

Favorite Spicy Shitake Udon Soup

Serves 4

1 block extra firm tofu, presses

1 Tbs. seseme seeds

4 cloves of garlic, loosely chopped

2 Tbs. chopped fresh ginger root

1 cup assorted fresh mushrooms (shitakes are best)

3/4 c. assorted dried chinese mushrooms (shitake, black, etc.)

2 Tbs. seseme oil

6 cups water

1/2 cup soy sauce

4 Tbs. miso

2 Tbs. chili sauce (preferably pure, crushed asian chilis)

4 oz. dried udon noodles.

Cut the tofu into small blocks. Fry until golden brown in in sesame oil, adding the sesame seeds and salt and pepper to taste. Set the tofu aside.  Heat the seseme oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and fresh mushrooms, cooking and stirring often until the mushrooms soften. Add the water, soy sauce, miso and chili sauce, whisking to misk. Add the dry mushroom, raising the heat, boil for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat, again, to medium. Add the udon noodles, cooking until just soft (about 7 minutes.) Stir in the fried tofu, and leave flame under the soup until the tofu is heated through (about 2 minutes).

Serve in large bowls, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro, fried shallots, or green onions.

Kiss that cold goodbye.