Shiitake, Miso Soup with Chicken Dumplings

Soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 1 hour.

Dumplings: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to blend. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until firm. Use wet hands to roll the chicken mixture into small balls. The mixture will still be quite soft to roll but it will firm up when added to the soup. Place on a tray, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Soup: Heat the stock, water and dashi in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer the stock for 5 minutes. Add the miso paste and whisk into the stock. Bring the soup back to the boil and add the wakame, the drained shiitake mushrooms and the chicken dumplings. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add the noodles and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the dumplings and noodles are cooked.

To serve: Ladle the soup into warm bowls and garnish with the spring onions and chives. 

The Asian ingredients in the dish are readily available from Asian supermarkets.

Dashi: A Japanese stock made from dried bonito (tuna) flakes, dried kelp and water. It is available as an instant powder or concentrate from Asian food stores.