Speedy Umami Vegetable Broth

• •8 cup water
• •1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
• •4 inch piece kombu
• •1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• •2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• •2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• •4 garlic cloves, smashed
• •2 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
• •2 tablespoon tomato paste
• •2 tablespoon soy sauce
• • to taste salt
• • to taste freshly ground black pepper
• • to taste fresh scallions, chopped, for garnish
• • to taste toasted sesame oil, for serving

Instructions

1. 1

   In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the roughly chopped onion, carrots, celery, smashed garlic cloves, and sliced ginger.

2. 2

   Add the dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu to the pot.

3. 3

   Stir in the tomato paste and soy sauce.

4. 4

   Pour in 8 cups of cold water.

5. 5

   Place the pot over high heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

6. 6

   Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes. This short simmer time helps extract flavors quickly while keeping it "speedy."

7. 7

   After 30 minutes, remove the pot from the heat. Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into another clean pot or heatproof container, discarding the solids. Press gently on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, but avoid mashing them too vigorously, which can make the broth cloudy.

8. 8

   Taste the broth and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. The soy sauce will provide some saltiness, so adjust carefully.

9. 9

   Serve the hot broth immediately, garnished with chopped scallions and a few drops of toasted sesame oil, if desired.

Chef's Tips

• 💡To enhance the "main" dish aspect, serve the broth with cooked ramen noodles, udon, or rice noodles. You can also add some blanched greens like spinach or bok choy, and a soft-boiled egg.
• 💡For an extra layer of umami, stir in a tablespoon of white miso paste into the hot broth *after* straining and just before serving. Do not boil miso paste as it can diminish its delicate flavor and beneficial properties.
• 💡This broth can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
• 💡For a deeper golden color, you can lightly caramelize the onions, carrots, and celery in a tablespoon of neutral oil for 5-7 minutes before adding other ingredients and water. This adds another dimension of flavor, though it slightly extends the "speedy" aspect.
• 💡If you have vegetable scraps (like mushroom stems, herb stems, leek greens), feel free to add them to the pot along with the main vegetables for even more depth of flavor. Just ensure they are clean.