Chinese Vegetable Soup
Submitted by xanadu2
Chinese vegetable soup with shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, soba noodles, and a ginger-tamari broth. A low-fat, brothy noodle bowl with savory mushroom depth.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minDried shiitake mushrooms carry this soup. Their soaking liquid (reserved and added back to the pot) delivers concentrated umami that no vegetable-only broth could match, while the rehydrated mushrooms themselves contribute chewy, smoky bites throughout.
Reserving the mushroom soaking water and adding it to the broth is a technique borrowed straight from Chinese restaurant kitchens. Don’t pour it down the drain. That brown liquid is the dish’s flavor base, where all the dried mushrooms’ essential oils have steeped out.
Soba noodles, made from buckwheat, are added in the last 10 minutes and finish cooking right in the broth. They absorb flavor as they soften, becoming part of the soup rather than just a separate noodle floating in liquid.
Chef Tips
- Soak shiitakes in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes, room-temp water needs much longer
- Trim the tough stems before adding to the broth, they stay woody no matter how long they cook
- Slice napa cabbage into ribbons, leaves and stems both go in
- Add the soba noodles only in the last 10 minutes, longer and they get mushy
- Drizzle with sesame oil and top with extra sliced scallions just before serving
Variations
- Add cubed tofu or shredded chicken for protein
- Stir in baby bok choy or sliced fresh bok choy with the cabbage
- Substitute udon or rice noodles for soba for a different noodle texture
Ingredients
Directions
Pour 2 cups hot water over the mushrooms in a bowl; soak for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, put 10 cups water in a large soup pot. Add tamari, sherry, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil. Add onion wedges. Reduce heat.
Squeeze excess water from the mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Add 1½ cups of this liquid to the hot broth. Chop mushrooms discarding tough stems, and add to broth. Add remaining ingredients, except for the noodles.
Simmer over low heat 15 minutes, add noodles, and cook an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot.
HELPFUL HINTS:
This will make a meal for four people, or a first course, with other Chinese food, for eight people.
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