This Chinese noodle soup is a flavour explosion in a bowl, is <300 cal per serving and only takes just over 10 minutes to make. It is spicy, salty and slightly sour with the fragrance of sesame, with a thicker soup than the usual clear noodle soup stocks and I love the creamy colour and texture which comes from the sesame paste (or tahini), corn starch and the starch from cooking the noodles in the stock. Substitute the vegetables with whatever you have on hand and use whatever noodles you want.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time15 minutesmins
Course: Noodles, Soup
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Servings: 4
Calories: 288cal
Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Ingredients
400gdried rice stick noodles(see notes)
Stock
4 cups (32 oz/1 litre) vegetable or chicken stock (broth)
5cupswater
3large garlic cloves, minced
2tspminced ginger
2tspsugar
Stock Sauce
3tbspsoy sauce
2tspcornflour / corn starch
2Tbspsesame paste or tahini
4tbspblack vinegar(see notes)
2tspchilli bean sauce(or substitute with another chilli paste or sauce). Adjust to taste!
1 1/2tspsesame oil
Toppings (see notes)
2medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
4bok choy
2cupsbroccoli florets
Garnish
1 1/2cupsbean sprouts
1scallion / shallot, chopped
Instructions
Combine stock ingredients in a large pot and bring to boil.
Meanwhile, mix the Stock Sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and cut all the vegetables into bite size pieces.
Add the Stock Sauce and mix well to dissolve into the soup. Adjust seasoning as required.
When the stock comes to a boil, place rice stick noodles in the stock, then 1 minute later add the carrots and broccoli, then 1 minute later remove from heat and add the bok choy stems.
Divide the noodles and vegetables between bowls, top with the bok choy leaves and bean sprouts.
Ladle soup into bowls over the vegetables and noodles, and garnish with spring onions.
Optional: finish with chilli oil and more chilli paste - if you can handle the heat!
Notes
1. You can really use whatever noodles you want, fresh or dried, rice, flour or egg noodles, just cook according to the packet instructions and remember to reduce the cooking time by a minute or two because noodles cook so quickly and they will continue to cook in the bowl.2. If you don't have black vinegar, you can substitute for another dark vinegar, such as cider, but not balsamic. As a last resort, use 2 tsp white vinegar.3. You can use whatever vegetables you want to, and pile them on! Other suggestions include: chinese broccoli, pak choy, red bell pepper, or even zucchini and spinach. I literally use whatever vegetables I have on hand for this recipe, that's what I love about it!4. This soup keeps really well for 2 days, just separate the soup from the noodles and vegetables.5. Nutrition per serving.