Saimin Noodles
1 c dried shrimps
10 med. sized pieces dried mushrooms (shiitake)
1/4 tsp ajinomoto
3/4 T salt
2 packages saimin noodles
Green onions, minced
Char siu (sweet pork), sliced
Chinese parsley, chopped
Soak dried mushrooms in a bowl of water just enough to cover mushrooms until soft. Cut mushrooms into narrow strips. Then simmer mushrooms in 5 cups water (include water used to soak mushrooms) for 30 minutes. At the some time, soak dried shrimps in 6 cups of water and simmer for 30 minutes or until shrimps are mushy.
After shrimps and mushrooms have simmered for 30 minutes, strain shrimp soup only into mushroom soup. Simmer combined soups for 3 to 5 minutes. Then add ajinomoto and salt to suit your taste, or in proportions as listed above.
Cook saimin noodles in boiling water. Do not overcook. Rinse well after cooking, under running water.
Pour saimin soup over noodles in individual soup bowls. Sprinkle top with onions, parsley and char siu. Thinly sliced kamaboko (fish cake) may be substituted for char siu. Yield 6 to 8 servings.
