Tag Archives: Soup

Simple Japanese Ramen Soup

Dinner, Lunch July 9, 2020 Leave a comment

I can’t remember when we started this tradition, but every Friday when we work from home, I would make Japanese ramen noodle soup for lunch. I choose to make it because I would get pre-made ramen kits from our local Japanese market, and all I needed to do was to add some meat and fresh vegetables to make them look and taste like I made it from scratch. Since the pandemic started, I haven’t been able to go to our beloved Japanese market, and I finally have to make it from scratch for real.

Little did I know, it’s so easy to make the whole dish from scratch without the help of the pre-made kits. Here is the recipe –

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Chicken –

  • 2 chicken thighs or breasts (boneless), I usually cut them into thin slices.
  • kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to season
  • 1 tsp corn starch 
  • 1 tsp Japanese Mirin wine
  • 1 tsp Soy Sauce
  • 2 tsp sesame or vegetable oil

For the Soup –

  • 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 3 tsp fresh garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 4 cups rich chicken stock
  • 1 oz dried shitake mushrooms (or 1/2 cup fresh)
  • 1–2 tsp sea salt, to taste
  • 2 servings of ramen noodles

For the Toppings –

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
  • 2 large sheets of Nori
  • Napa Cabbage, baby bokchoi or greens of you choice.
  • optional: fresh jalapeño slices, for serving

Instructions

  1. Cook the chicken: Marinate the chicken in the listed ingredients, I like to marinate it for at least half an hour before cooking. Heat the pot that you’ll be using for the noodle soup, and sauté the chicken till they’re fully cooked. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil until ready to serve.
  2. Make the ramen broth: In the same pot with the remaining chicken dripping / sauce, heat the pot over medium heat, until shimmering. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the soy sauce and mirin, and stir to combine. Cook for another minute. Add the stock, cover, and bring to boil. Remove the lid, and let simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, then add the dried mushrooms. Simmer gently for another 10 minutes, and season with salt, to taste.
  3. If you’re adding vegetables or other toppings, add them into the soup and cook accordingly.
  4. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water. When the timer finishes, transfer the eggs to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Wait at least 5 minutes, or until cool enough to handle, then carefully peel away the shell and slice in half, lengthwise. Set aside until ready to serve.
  5. Meanwhile, chop the scallions and jalapeño (if using).
  6. Assemble the ramen bowls: Start with the ramen, add the sliced chicken and the ramen broth. Top with the fresh scallions, jalapeño and your preferred toppings. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

 

Classic Corn Chowder

Appetizer, Lunch, Side Dish March 26, 2020 Leave a comment

This is a simple yet hearty soup. We made a small batch just enough for the two of us for lunch during this funky quarantine time, and it’s really delicious and satisfying.

Here is the recipe we used that serves 2-4, depending if you’re having it as a main or side dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoons butter
  • 2 slices of bacon or ham
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 ribs celery, chopped
  • 1-2 teaspoons of flour
  • 2 medium size boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 2 cups fresh corn kernels (we used canned ones because it is what we have)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
  • Dash of paprika
  • Sour cream, for serving (optional)

How to Make It

Step 1

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add diced bacon or ham, stir till it’s cooked through. Add  onion, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour till it’s evenly mixed with the vegetables. Stir in the potatoes, 1 cups of the corn, the bay leaf, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

 

Step 2

In a blender or food processor, puree the remaining 1 cups corn with the milk. Stir the puree into the soup along with the black pepper. Simmer until the soup thickens slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. sprinkle in the paprika. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream, if using.

Kwas ‘Ne Polish Soup

In the Kitchen September 22, 2012 1 Comment

It is a cold and rainy Saturday and some friends are planning to stop by later for a glass of wine.  What better reason than to make a large pot of mom’s Polish Kwas ‘Ne (pronounced VASH-nuh, at least in our household).  Although we’ve never come across this recipe in cookbooks or even online, it’s been in the family for years (note to our readers: you might’ve figured out that one of us is Taiwanese; the other has strong Polish roots and grew up eating this soup).

Some have referred to this recipe as “sweet and sour soup”, and my five year old niece calls it “pickled soup” (most likely from the vinegar added at the end).  Whatever you call it, this makes for a fantastic and hearty meal that is always a hit with first-timers, and reheats well even after being frozen (so freeze whatever you don’t eat!).

Kwas ‘Ne Polish Soup

Serves 10 / Prep & Cook Time: about 4 hours

Ingredients:

  • peppercorns
  • 1 large brown onion
  • 1 pork shoulder or other ham bone (about three to four pounds)
  • 1 five-pound bag of brown potatoes
  • 6 eggs
  • ¼ cup of vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut a two inch by two inch piece of cheesecloth, fill it with peppercorns and coarse salt and, using excess threat from the cheesecloth, tie into a ball.  Throw this into a large pot of salted water. Dice the large onion and add to pot along with the pork shoulder or other ham bone.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for at least three and a half hours.

 While the spices, onions and pork simmer (and create a heavenly smell in your kitchen), peel the potatoes, cut them into eighths and then store in a bowl of cold water.

After about three and a half hours or so, test the pork with a fork to see if it’ll fall of the bone with little resistance.  If so, remove the entire pork shoulder from the broth and place on a cutting board.  At this point, drain the potatoes from the cold water, add to the broth, bring to a boil and then simmer.

Clean the pork off of the bone and remove the fat, then shred into manageable pieces and salt.  Once the potatoes are cooked through (about the time you are finished preparing the meat), add about half of the now shredded and salted pork into the pot (the other half can be used for anything else you desire including pulled pork sliders, spicy pork tacos, a filling for an omelet, etc.).

With the onions, potatoes and pork now waltzing together in the broth, bring to a full boil once again.  At boil, crack and beat six eggs into the soup and then reduce heat.

Cracking in the eggs.

Add salt and the vinegar and you are ready to serve!

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