A ceramic bowl filled with luscious golden butternut soup is the star of this composition. Sitting on the rich creamy soup are scattered, garnet-red sesame seeds and fresh green chives. Beside it, positioned asymmetrically, are number of asparagus tempura styled artistically, wrapped in dark green nori giving a pop of color to the arrangement; their golden tempura covering contrasts beautifully against their green heads peeking out. The bowl sits on a dark wooden surface, with scattered red chili and a spoon resting atop dark linen. The composition is sprinkled with extra sesame seeds for added charm.

Golden Butternut Dashi Soup and Asparagus Nori Tempura

Name: Golden Butternut Dashi Soup and Asparagus Nori Tempura
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash peeled and cubed; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 cups soy milk; 1 pack of dashi; 12 asparagus stalks; 4 nori sheets; to coat tempura batter; vegetable oil for deep frying; 2 tsp chili oil; sesame seeds for garnish chopped; chives for garnish chopped; to taste salt; to taste pepper

Velvety butternut soup with crisp asparagus nori tempura.

Category Main Course

Prep 40 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Style Japanese

Technique Roasting

Diet Friendly Vegetarian

Daily recipe · September 16, 2024

A little about this dish

Welcome to a fusion of seasonal flavors and color! This vegetarian delicacy is a humble tribute to the elegant simplicity so celebrated in Japanese cuisine. Taking advantage of the bounty of fall, we transform golden-hearted butternut squash into creamy soup and team it with crisp, salty-nori wrapped tempura asparagus. Dashi brings a hint of umami to the velvety soup and the tempura goes a long way in adding a crunch.

Ingredients (for 4)

Large butternut squash — 1 — peeled and cubed
Vegetable oil — 1 tbsp
Soy milk — 2 cups
Pack of dashi — 1
Asparagus stalks — 12
Nori sheets — 4
Tempura batter — to coat
Vegetable oil — — for deep frying
Chili oil — 2 tsp
Sesame seeds for garnish — — chopped
Chives for garnish — — chopped
Salt — to taste
Pepper — to taste

Preparation

Step 1 — 🔥🥣🥔

Preheat your oven to 400°F and roast the cubed butternut squash for about 30 min till they become soft.
Step 2 — 🍲🥄🧂

Heat vegetable oil in a pan. Add the roasted squash, dashi pack and soy milk. Simmer, stirring occasionally till it forms a thick soup. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3 — ✂️🌱🍥

Trim the asparagus from half, wrap each tightly with a piece of nori sheet, exposing only the spear. Dip the nori-wrapped asparagus in the tempura batter.
Step 4 — 🔥💧🌱

Deep-fry the tempura coated asparagus in hot oil until it becomes crispy and golden.
Step 5 — 🍵🌶️🍴

Serve the soup in bowls, drizzle with chili oil. Drop a few asparagus tempura in the soup. Sprinkle sesame seeds and chives for garnish.

A final fox tip

Play around with the tempura! It can be a fun activity for children (minus the frying part), or be swapped out for other seasonal vegetables. For those who crave a little extra spice, feel free to amp up the chili oil. Have fun and share your beautiful, Instagram-ready creations online! #GoldenButternutDashiSoup