Mabo Harusame is a Japanese home-style dish inspired by the Chinese Mapo Tofu. Cooked harusame, clear glass noodles, are served in a mildly spicy Japanese Mabo-style sauce. It’s a Japanese fusion dish and, many of the elements that define traditional Mapo Tofu are not present except Doubanjiang (spicy bean paste). Nonetheless, the spicy and savory flavor of Mabo Harusame complements steamed white rice and has become a beloved everyday dinner dish in Japan.
Today’s miso soup features Harusame glass noodles. Harusame (春雨) are smooth and glutenous noodles made from potato starch. Harusame is typically sold as hard, dried white sticks, but once cooked, they becomes soft and clear noodles. Harusame literally means “spring rain” in Japanese, which is quite poetic. Harusame is often used in Nabe hot pot dishes or salad in Japanese cuisine, but it’s also great in miso soup. As long as it’s not a large amount added to the soup (as it will absorb liquid), there’s no need to rehydrate it beforehand. We also added Fu (麩), glutenous wheat bread, which tastes like soft croutons in the soup but acts more like a garnish here. Flower-shaped Fu, as used in the recipe, adds a splash of color, perfect for springtime. We hope you give it a try!
Harusame Salad is a salad with dried bean (or potato) threads called Harusame and vegetables. This cold and smooth textured noodle dish is a great side dish any time, but especially good during hot summer days. The dressing is flavored with sesame oil and it tastes like a Chinese style salad.