To cook the broth: To a medium pot, add the ginger, garlic and water. Set the pot over medium high heat and bring to a light boil. Once it reaches a boil, immediately turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. The water should be fragrant. Turn off the heat and pour in the soy sauce and give it a good mix. I ended up fishing out the ginger and garlic but you don’t have to. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature and then transfer it to the fridge to chill completely, about 1 hour.

To cook the noodles: While the broth is chilling, you can prep all of the other ingredients. Bring a medium pot filled with water to a light boil. Drop the frozen udon noodles in the water and allow them to boil for about a minute. Drain the noodles and then immediately run cold water over them to stop the cooking. Toss the noodles with a teeny bit of olive oil or sesame oil (this will avoid them from sticking to one another).Transfer the noodles to the fridge to cool. If you’re using dried noodles, cook them according to taste. I always find that the packages recommend a bit longer than they should be cooked, hence the recommendation of cooking them to taste.

To cook the mushrooms: Heat a teaspoon or two of sesame oil (you can use olive oil too) in a small sauté pan. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and sprinkle them with a bit of salt; cook on both sides for a few minutes. Turn the heat down to low and cook for a minute or two longer, until the mushrooms are tender.

To cook the egg: Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil. Once the water hits a boil, drop the eggs into the water and immediately turn off the flame and cover the pan. Set your timer to 9 minutes. I found that 9 minutes was perfect for the results you see pictured. Run the eggs under lukewarm water and peel them. Slice 'em in half with a sharp knife.

To assemble: Divide the noodles amongst bowl and pour in the cold broth. Divide the mushrooms and eggs amongst bowls. Garnish with slivers of green onion and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.