Il Cucinologo
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Noodle Soup

17/11/2023

I can provide you with an Italian variant of the classic Asian noodle soup. Here are the ingredients and the procedure:

Ingredients

  • 150g rice or wheat noodles (according to preference)
  • 1 liter chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 piece of fresh ginger about 2 cm
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 onion
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 200g button or shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 red chili pepper (optional for those who like it spicy)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh aromatic herbs such as cilantro or parsley (as desired)
  • Vegetables of your choice (for example carrots, bok choy, bell peppers)

Preparation

  1. Start by preparing the broth: bring the liter of broth to a boil and keep it warm over low heat.
  2. Peel the ginger and garlic cloves. Finely chop the ginger, garlic, and onion.
  3. Clean the mushrooms and slice them thinly.
  4. Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the ginger, garlic, and onion for a few minutes until golden, then add the mushrooms.
  5. Add the chopped chili pepper if you want a spicy dish.
  6. Pour in the soy sauce and cook for a few more minutes.
  7. Add the hot broth to the skillet and bring everything to a boil.
  8. Reduce the heat and add the noodles, cooking them according to the package instructions.
  9. Meanwhile, cut the other vegetables as desired and add them to the soup toward the end of the noodle cooking time to keep them crunchy.
  10. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and, if desired, a drizzle of sesame oil for a more intense flavor.
  11. Serve the soup hot and garnish with roughly chopped aromatic herbs.

Trivia

Noodle soup is a very popular dish in Asia, especially in countries like China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Each country has its own variants and preparation techniques, which can also vary by region. In Italy, thanks to its cuisine that ranges from North to South with different influences and ingredients, it is possible to find variants that mix Italian tradition with the exoticism of Asian flavors.

Enjoy your meal!