Udon Noodle Soup

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Ingredients

8 cups	Water
2 tbs.	Shiro (white) miso paste (optional)
1 packet	Dried bonito flakes or instant dashi
1 tbs.	Sugar
2 tbs.	Mirin (sweet sake)
3 tbs.	Soy sauce, regular (koikuchi) or whole bean (marudaizu)
3 tbs.	Soy sauce, light color (usukuchi)
1 tsp.	Wakame seaweed, dried (optional)
1 cup	Shiitake mushrooms (optional)
14 oz.	Tofu, firm
10 oz.	Udon noodles, dry

Method

• Put water in a large saucepan over high heat.
• Add miso and stir until dissolved.
• Add dashi packet, sugar, mirin, soy sauces, wakame, and shiitake.
• Turn down to medium heat when broth begins to boil.
• Cut tofu into half-inch cubes and add to broth.
• Simmer until tofu rises to the top.
• Add noodles, stirring to avoid sticking.
• When noodles are tender, remove from heat and discard dashi packet.
• Serve in bowls with Japanese 7-spice (shichimi togarashi).

If you don't have light color soy sauce, just add another tablespoon of dark soy sauce and some extra salt.