Shiitake Miso Broth with Eggplant Noodles and Market Fish

Some evenings all you want is a light dinner. This fragrant broth with silky shiitake mushrooms, miso and noodles made from eggplant is a bowlful of goodness.

olive oil

3 tablespoons very finely julienned fresh ginger

100 grams shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, very finely sliced

4 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal, green tops reserved

5 cups water

1 large oval purple eggplant

4 tablespoons white miso (shiro) or more to taste (I used Urban Hippie – see Cook’s tip)

500 grams firm white fish fillets sea salt and ground pepper TO SERVE handful fresh enoki mushrooms, optional

lime wedges

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan and gently cook the ginger, mushrooms, garlic and spring onions for 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to the boil.

Cut the eggplant lengthways into 1cm thick slices then cut into ½cm wide, long noodles. Add to the saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes or until tender but not falling apart.

Put the miso in a bowl and stir in ⅓ cup of the hot broth to make a smooth paste. Add to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Taste and add more miso if desired. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.

Heat a little oil in a large sauté pan. Season the fish on both sides and cook until just cooked through.

TO SERVE: Ladle the soup and noodles between bowls and top with the fish, a small bundle of enoki if using and the sliced reserved spring onion tops. Serve with the lime wedges. SERVES 4