Chinese Soup

Well, I've been sick with my first cold of the season and my mind is on soups. Last night I made Garlic Soup and it was just what El Doctor ordered! Thinking about when I've been sick, reminded me of how Mom would make soup. To me her best was pea soup and turkey rice soup using the Thanksgiving or Christmas leftovers.

I created this recipe out of my desire to have a soup similar to those we find in Chinese or Vietnamese restaurants: it had to have a thin consistency, be based on chicken broth, but be full of flavor and pack some heat as well. There are many variations with this base recipe: add pork or shrimp, other fresh vegetables, etc.

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken stock
1 bunch green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
4 fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced thin
2 cups water
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 pound uncooked peeled shrimp (or frozen calamari, scallops, etc.)

Instructions:

1. Place chicken stock in large saucepan over high heat.

2. Add oil, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, mushrooms and cilantro.

3. When simmering, add water and rice.

4. When soup returns to boil, add shrimp and remove from heat.

Serving:

For a complete dinner, I serve this with potstickers that have been fried in hot five pepper oil.

Tweet