also: のっぺ
noun
noppei soup; thickened vegetable soup
A traditional Japanese soup thickened with potato starch, containing fried tofu, shiitake, carrots, sweet potatoes, and daikon, seasoned with salt or soy sauce. Often served in Buddhist vegetarian cuisine or as a regional dish.
精進料理で能平をいただいた。
I had noppei soup as part of the Buddhist vegetarian meal.
のっぺいは片栗粉でとろみをつけた野菜たっぷりの汁物です。
Noppei is a soup full of vegetables thickened with potato starch.
Often used interchangeably; のっぺい汁 explicitly includes 汁 (soup), while 能平 can refer to the dish itself.
The origin of the name is uncertain. One theory suggests it comes from the thick, starchy texture resembling 濃い餅 (thick rice cake), but this is not confirmed.