EASY MISO SOUP WITH TATAKI-STYLE TOPSIDE & CAULIFLOWER TEMPURA

Serves
4
Prep
15mins
Cook
1hr
DIFFICULTY
medium
Ingredients
  • 350g Omugi beef topside, trimmed
  • sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 brown onions, very finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 10cm piece kombu (dried kelp)
  • ¼ cup katsuobushi (bonito flakes) + 1 Tbsp
  • ½ cup dried shiitake mushrooms
  • ½ tsp sansho pepper
  • 2 Tbsp white (shiro) miso paste
  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 1 cup ice
  • vegetable oil, for deep frying
  • blanched udon noodles, shaved red onion, mustard greens, finely sliced shallots and chilli oil, to serve
Method
  • Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, then drizzle with half the vegetable oil. Sear in a skillet set over high heat for 1 minute on each side, until charred, but very rare inside. Keep at room temperature until serving, not longer than 30 minutes.
  • Sauté the onions and garlic in the remaining oil for 3 minutes, until just softened. Add the kombu, ¼ cup katsuobushi, shitakes and sansho. Pour in 2½L water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, then strain into a second saucepan, mix in the miso paste, then simmer again.
  • Toss the cauliflower pieces in ¼ cup of flour. Gently mix the remaining flour, ice, and 1¼ cups of cold water. Dip the cauliflower pieces in the batter, then fry immediately in hot (190C) vegetable oil, until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls with the noodles, onion, mustard greens, and beef. Sprinkle the cauliflower with shallots. Serve with chilli oil.