Japanese Chicken Noodle & Vegetable Soup

Serves 4-6

CHEF’S TIP:  Miso paste can be purchased at any Asian shop in a vacuum package. It is quite salty in taste, will not discolour the soup and will adds lots of flavour. If you are not using miso, then add extra stock powder for more  taste. Tah Tsai (Chinese Spinach) can be substituted for the fresh spinach. Parsley can be used instead of coriander.

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breastfillets
  • 1.5 litre (6 cups) water
  • 30-45ml (2-3 T) chicken stock      powder
  • 1 carrot, sliced thinly
  • 125g (4 oz) mushrooms, sliced*
  • 125g (4 oz) fresh baby corn, halved
  • 10ml (2 t) sesame oil
  • 1 piece fresh ginger, sliced
  • Handful fresh coriander
  • 140g (3 oz) packet yellow miso paste (optional)
  • 5 spinach leaves, finely shredded
  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • 100g (3.5 oz) thin egg noodles
  • Coriander leaves for decorating

Method

  1. Place the chicken breasts in a pot filled with water. Add the stock powder, carrot, mushrooms, corn spears, sesame oil, ginger and coriander. Lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are softened but still firm. 

  1. Remove the ginger slices and coriander and stir in miso paste, whisking gently until dissolved. 

  2. Remove the chicken breasts, shredding only 1 breast very finely into thin strips and returning it back into the soup. Just before serving add spinach and spring onion for just a few minutes.

  1. Boil noodles separately for about 5 minutes and then place a small mound in each bowl before ladling soup. Sprinkle with a few coriander leaves before serving.

  1. *Use fresh shitake mushrooms if available.

© sharon glass 2012  |  For more recipes: www.sharonglass.co.za