Soup during summer?!! Yes, I know! however there is still a mild chill in the air (in this part of the world!) don’t you worry, this soup is not heavy & stodgy but a light & refreshing one!
Inspired by the amazing Thai Tom Yum – here is another take on that classic! I think its one that can be consumed even in the summer months as its light & refreshing with all the fresh ingredients
I wanted a dish that incorporated all the fresh produce I had shopped at the farmers market over the weekend and as I was also in the mood for some noodles – I thought why not combine both…
With most Far Eastern cooking styles, the prep time is more than the actual cook time – remember its all about how you chop and slice your vegetables and meats! Cook time can even be a few minutes sometimes 🙂 This reduced cook time gives the vegetables that crunchy texture
Cook time: 10mins Prep Time: 15mins
Ingredients:
- 2 small carrots
- 3 large cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger
- 2 tablespoon of sesame seed oil
- half a stalk of lemongrass
- 2 spring onions
- 1 bell pepper
- handful of fresh coriander leaves
- 2 handfuls of fresh spinach
- 500ml of water
- 1 red onion
- 8-10 mushrooms (chestnut or shiitake)
- 2 green chilies
- 1 whole lime
- 20 grams of fine/ thin vermicelli rice noodles
- 2 table spoons of Shaoxing rice wine
- 2 table spoons of dark soy sauce
- 2 table spoons of light soy sauce
- salt to taste
Start by rinsing and chopping the vegetables as indicated in the picture – ensure that they are all finely sliced, some of them to be chopped into julienne
Then to a wok on medium high – add the oil, once hot, add in the ginger, garlic, green chilies, red onions and the white part of the spring onions and lightly fry for 1-2 minutes. Then add in the two soy sauces, Shaoxing rice wine and stir
Next, add in the carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach & water and bring to a boil. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Now, add in the lemongrass, salt & noodles. Boil for another 5 minutes
Finally turn off the flame and allow to rest for a minute or two, then squeeze a whole fresh lime into the wok and add in the fresh coriander & green part of the spring onion and serve!
Tip: Don’t put the lid on at any stage while cooking this recipe as this tends to dull the green and other colors of the vegetables. And I use a julienne peeler, as it just makes life a lot easier! 😉