Make your own “Instant soup”

I’m fully jumping on an Internet recipe bandwagon with this recipe, but it’s so yummy I’m happy to say “all aboard.”

As delicious as instant noodles, in a package or a cup, are I think we all know by now they’re really bad for us. They’re packed with fat and sodium and have no other nutritional benefits. I also love Pho and Ramen, but there aren’t any near my office! Making your own allows you to add a few extra veggies, which is always a good idea.

This recipe involves prepping everything in advance the only thing that needs ‘cooking’ is mushrooms, and then just adding hot water when it’s time to eat. This prevents the pre-cooked noodles from turning to mush.

All aboard the make your own instant soup bandwagon.

“Instant” miso soup with noodles

Makes 4 bowls

1/4 package of ‘pho’ noodles cooked (either in hot water for a couple minutes or soaked overnight)

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

2 cups mushrooms thinly sliced (use shitake if you can find them)

1 zucchini sliced like matchsticks (or just thinly sliced)

1 cup cilantro finely chopped

4 cups bean sprouts

1 lime cut in quarters

3 tablespoons ginger finely chopped

Cooked chicken/shrimp/beef/pork/tofu

Soup base

3 tsp red miso paste

3 tsp soya sauce

1 tsp sriracha (more or less to taste)

2 Tbsp (approx) chicken stock or water

1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder

1 tsp sesame oil

-In a frying pan slowly heat 1 Tbsp of the ginger with canola oil. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly brown. Season with a splash of soya sauce and pepper.

-In a jar combine all the soup base ingredients and stir/shake until it’s a thick liquid.

-In a heat proof bowl or container combine 1/4 of the noodles, edamame, ginger, mushrooms, zucchini and whatever protein you’re using. Pour 1/4 of the soup base into the container.

-In a baggie or separate container put 1/4 of a lime, bean sprouts and cilantro.

-When lunchtime arrives, pour hot/boiling water into noodles. Stir well to combine the seasoning. Squeeze in the lime and top with cilantro and bean sprouts.

NOTE: If you can find Thai basil, substitute it for the cilantro, use a combination of the two…. If you can’t find pho noodles, use the rice stick noodles often used for pad thai over the rice vermicelli. The vermicelli doesn’t have much texture and isn’t great in a soup.

Two easy Asian-inspired ideas

Remember about five or 10 years ago when almost every chain restaurant had an “Asian Chicken Salad” of some sort on its menu?  I was always a sucker for those, but had almost put them out of my culinary mind until I came up with this salad and realized that’s what it tasted like, only better (of course).

I was also always a sucker for instant ramen noodles as a teenager (OK, I still sort of love them), but I know they’re really awful for you. This recipe isn’t authentic anything, but has a lot of flavour and is super easy to make.

I used cooked chicken in both recipes, but you could use another meat/protein… even leftover turkey.

Asian Noodle Salad

**Enough for two lunch-sized salads

Dressing (makes about 1/4 cup)

1 tsp peanut butter

1 tsp soya sauce

1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger

pinch of dried red chili flakes (to taste)

splash of water (about 1 tsp)

1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

-Put all ingredients in a bowl or jar. Mix together until most of the peanut butter has mixed in. Let sit about an hour to let the chili infuse.

Salad

2 cup mixed greens (whatever you like)

2 cup mixed veggies (peppers, carrots, cucumbers, etc.)

1 cup of cooked soba noodles (or other noodles)

1 cup cooked chicken

-Mix everything together. Toss with dressing right before serving.

**NOTE: If you can’t find soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles) you can use whatever you can find or like.

Asian Noodle Soup

**makes enough for 2 servings

**Time: About 15 minutes

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 tsp fresh ginger finely chopped

1 tsp dried red chili flakes

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 Tbsp soya sauce

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 cup cooked udon noodles (or other noodles, rice noodles would be great)

2 cups veggies (mushrooms, zucchini, chopped bok choy, cooked eggplant, carrots, peppers)

1/2 cup cooked chicken

fresh pepper to taste

-Over medium to low heat saute garlic, ginger and chili with the oils. Once slightly brown add the mushrooms/veggies.

-Let cook together for a few minutes until veggies are 1/2 cooked. Add the stock, bring to a boil. Add the chicken and noodles, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

TIPS

-This soup is really good with an egg on it. Either poached, fried or soft boiled. The yolk adds yummy richness.

-It’s better to cook the noodles outside the soup, otherwise they’ll absorb all the stock.

-If you’re reheating soup, just add a bit of water before reheating. The flavour will still be there and you’ll have enough liquid.