A soup inspired by Vietnamese cooking that combines a delicate clear vegetable broth with fresh mushrooms, tofu and a light sesame-soy seasoning. Ideal as a starter or a light dinner that warms you up without weighing down your digestion.
- Category
- soup
- Portion
- 300 g
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Nature (TCM)
- neutral
- Nature (Ayurveda)
- kapha ↓ · pitta ° · vata °
TCM: A clear broth with neutral mushrooms and cooling tofu is not heavy; it warms gently and brings balance.
Ayurveda: A light, clear soup that lightens kapha and does not burden digestion.
Ingredients
- Brown mushrooms – 500 g
- Fresh shiitake – 100 g
- White tofu (plain) – 500 g
- Soy sauce – 100 ml
- Sesame oil – 40 ml
- Rice vinegar – 30 ml
- Scallions – 100 g
- Black sesame seeds – 15 g
- Natural (light) sesame seeds – 15 g
- Clear vegetable broth – 5 l
- Salt – to taste (approx. 15 g)
- Ground white pepper – to taste (approx. 3 g)
Method
Preparing the ingredients
- Clean the mushrooms and slice them thinly.
- Cut the tofu into cubes and the scallions into rings.
Cooking the soup
- Bring the clear vegetable broth to a boil in a pot.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 5–7 minutes, until tender.
- Add the tofu and let it heat through.
Seasoning
- Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, salt and white pepper.
- Adjust the balance of sour and salty to taste.
Finishing
- Add the scallions and both kinds of sesame to the finished soup.
- Stir and take off the heat.
Serving
Serve the soup hot in bowls, garnished with fresh scallions and sprinkled with sesame. Rice noodles or a fresh herb side go well with it.
Key ingredients
- Button mushrooms
- Low-calorie umami, selenium and B vitamins.
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Beta-glucans support immunity; natural umami without meat.
- Tofu
- Complete soy protein; cooling, good in warming sauces for balance.
- Tamari sauce
- Gluten-free soy sauce — deep umami without animal products.
- Sesame seeds
- Calcium, healthy fats and lignans; toasted, they add umami and depth.
- Coriander seeds
- Soothes digestion and gently cools the heat of spices.
Why it’s good for the body
- Shiitake and button mushrooms are a source of minerals and antioxidants and have traditionally supported immunity.
- Tofu is rich in plant protein while low in fat.
- A clear broth is easy to digest and suits lighter diets.
- Sesame contains healthy fats and calcium.
Traditional and functional notes on the ingredients — not medical claims.
Notes
- For a spicier version, add fresh chili or a drop of sesame chili oil.
- It can also be made with other kinds of mushrooms, such as oyster mushrooms.