Vegetable Udon in Pumpkin Soup - a pure vegan taste that brings a mouthful of delights

The saying goes, "Eat according to the season," and autumn is the perfect time to enjoy pumpkins. Eating pumpkins in autumn isn't just for Halloween. As we enter October and November, the weather gradually becomes dry. Eating more pumpkins not only boosts immunity but also prevents symptoms of autumn dryness.

Big Boy does not particularly enjoy eating rice; instead, I have a preference for noodles and bread. With this in mind, I’m introducing a recipe for Pumpkin Soup with Vegetable Udon. The soup base, made by simmering pumpkin, is rich and sweet, satisfying both the palate and the desire for a healthy meal. By the way, this udon dish is also suitable for vegans!

The combination of vegetables is entirely up to you. I chose baby corn, snow peas, carrots, cauliflower, and enoki mushrooms. Among them, the pan-fried enoki mushrooms have won my heart the most. Without deep frying, just lightly coat them with cornstarch and pan-fry to achieve a crispy effect, adding a unique texture to the entire bowl of udon.

Ingredients (serve 2)

---

Basic Ingredients

Carrot	½ stick
Enoki Mushroom	1 bunch
Cabbage	100g
Baby corn	6 pcs
Snow Pea	8 pcs
Inaniwa Udon	2 pcs
Corn/Potato starch	2-3 tsp

Pumpkin-based Soup

Pumpkin	150g
Almond Milk	100 ml
Olive Oil	1 tsp
Garlic	3 cloves
Vegetable Stock	400 ml
Water	300 ml
Salt	to taste

Steps

---

1. Remove the seeds and skin of the pumpkin, then slice it. Clean the baby corn. Peel and slice the carrots. Mince the garlic. Wash and dry the enoki mushrooms. Clean the snow peas. Cut the cauliflower into small florets and wash them.

2. Boil a pot of water and steam the pumpkin slices for 13 minutes until tender.

3. After steaming the pumpkin, add it to a blender along with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 100 ml of almond milk. Blend until smooth and set aside.

4.　Coat the enoki mushrooms with a thin layer of cornstarch (as shown in the small image), shaking off any excess. Then, heat 4-5 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the enoki mushrooms and fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

5. Using the same frying pan, add the vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes until slightly charred. Then add 2 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt, cover with a lid, and steam for 3 minutes. Remove and set aside once cooked.

6. Using the same pan, sauté the garlic until fragrant (if you are a vegan simply skip the garlic), then add clear water and vegetable stock, bring to a boil.

7. After it boils, add the mashed pumpkin, then put in the udon noodles and cook until done. (Since I used low-sodium vegetable stock, after adding the udon, I added half a teaspoon of salt to season the soup.)

8. Finally, place the udon noodles and vegetables in a soup bowl, then pour the pumpkin soup around the edges. Enjoy!