Smoking soup?

[Obese-Wan Kenobi]

I had lunch at Michiba`s restaurant at the Ginza yesterday.

Great meal from the Iron Chef!

What struck me the most though was his last course in which I was asked, either rice or udon. I ordered the udon.

I smelled smoke from the dish, not wood smoke but Japanese charcoal smoke. It smelled good. But I was confused. So I took a bunch of noodles and put it to my nose and smelled the vapors, smelled like the same smoke. Tasted it and it tasted like the same smoke I smelled. Tasted the soup and it tasted like the smoke.

This udon was smoked! And it was so delicious!

How did he do that?

Regards!

[aprilmei]

Are you sure the smokey flavour/aroma wasn't from the broth? If I remember correctly, the dried bonito used in dashi is smoked to help dry it.

[Obese-Wan Kenobi]

There it is! That's what makes sense I couldn't tell where the smoke was coming from because it was all over the dish. Now I understand.

Thanks very much. But that's some rare katsuo bushi. I've never encountered one with such strong smoke flavor.

Best regards.