Royal Feast (2022) Dishes

Plain Noodle Soup

"Officer You, plain noodles are made by cooking the noodles in plain water. No broth is used." 

"Honestly speaking, we did cook the noodles with plain water. But the noodles were made from the mackerels I got from Jiaxing." 

"Although it doesn't taste like fish, it's delicious and refreshing. I added ginger and spring onion to the soup to cover the fishy taste. They won't be able to find this out." (Episode 3)

Original website: https://omnivorescookbook.com/vegetarian-noodle-soup/

Ingredients

Tofu1/2 block 16 ounces / 450 g extra firm tofu2 tablespoons (or tamari for a gluten-free alternative)1 tablespoon maple syrup (or agave nectar)Cook3.5 oz (100 g) dried noodles (*Footnote 1)1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)6 cups vegetable broth (or homemade Detox Vegetable Broth)2 cups (1/2 lbs) mushrooms , sliced1 cup mixed frozen vegetables (e.g. green peas, carrots and corn)2 green onion , chopped1 large piece ginger4 cup kale , chopped1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free alternative)Salt to taste2 teaspoons sesame oilServing optionsPoached or boiled eggsChopped cilantro and chopped green onion for garnishPickled vegetables zha cai and fermented tofuHomemade Chili Oil or Sriracha

Directions

1)Cut tofu into 1-inch pieces and transfer into a large Ziploc bag. Add soy sauce and maple syrup. Gently flip the bag a few times to coat tofu with the liquid. Marinate for 15 to 20 minutes. When the tofu is marinated, open the bag just a little bit without letting the tofu fall out. Drain all the liquid and discard. Dry tofu with paper towels (Footnote 2).

2) Boil noodles according to instructions. Drain and set aside.

3) Heat a 3-quart pot with 1 tablespoon oil until hot. Spread tofu. Let cook undisturbed for 1 minute, or until the bottom turns dark brown. Flip and cook until the other side turns crispy too. Transfer to a plate.

4) Add vegetable broth into the same pot. Scrape off any brown bits stuck on the bottom with a spatula. Add mushrooms, frozen vegetables, green onion, ginger and soy sauce. Cook until brought to a boil. Add kale and cook until tender. Transfer the noodles into the pot and stir to mix well. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning by adding more salt, if needed. Turn off heat and drizzle with sesame oil.

5) Transfer soup and noodles to servings bowls, top with pan fried tofu and eggs. Garnish with green onion and / or cilantro, if using.

6) Serve hot as main with pickled vegetables or chili oil on the side

Time: 25 min (10 min prep + 15 min cook)

Serving(s): 2-3

Notes:

For wheat noodles, you can use chuka soba, udon noodles, somen noodles, and any other wheat noodles that only contain wheat flour and water (and maybe some salt). For gluten-free noodle soup, use rice noodles, Vermicelli or Shirataki noodles.Alternatively, you can dust the tofu with 2 tablespoons cornstarch -- it will create an even crispier crust.