StevieG wrote:1. Coconut, Lime and Chicken Soup - Coconut cream, chicken stock, lemongrass, chilli, chicken breasts, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, coriander leaves;
2. Hot and sour Prawn (but I'd be using chicken) soup - red chillies, garlic, chicken stock, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, snow peas, chicken, sugar;
3. Asian noodle soup - rice noodles, chicken stock, red chillies, ginger, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, coriander, pork fillet, bok choy, bean sprouts;
4. Wonton Soup - chicken mince, onion, water chesnuts, hoisin sauce, wonton wrappers, chicken stock, water, soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, chilli.
OK, I know these by different names, especially number two.
Hot and Sour soup is my favorite Chinese soup, but what you are describing sounds like my favorite Thai soup,
Tum Yum. I like mine made with raw cubed tofu dropped into the soup to be slightly cooked; I don't care for any meats or seafood in Asian-style soup. Number one sounds like
Tum Ka Kai, also Thai, and number three sounds like Vietnamese
phở, although I think that is usually served with sliced beef, instead of pork.
This is what I think of as
hot and sour soup.
Hot And Sour Soup
from Jeff Smith's
Three Ancient Cuisines
*Add garlic and red chili paste for more heat.
6 cups chicken stock (seasoned with some ginger)
2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1/4 lb. lean pork, in 1/4" cubes
6 dried Chinese mushrooms (soaked 3 hrs., drained, julienned)
3/4 tsp. ground white pepper or more to taste
1/4 cup white vinegar--more or less to taste
5 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 5 Tbsp. water
salt if needed
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
1/4 dried cloud ears, soaked 1 hr., drained, and shredded
1 cake bean curd, cut into 1/4" cubes
4 eggs, beaten
Garnish:
cooked ham, cut in slivers
green onion, chopped
sesame oil to taste
grated carrot
ground black pepper
Bring stock to simmer, add soy sauce, pork, and mushrooms. Simmer 10 minutes. Add pepper, vinegar, and thicken with cornstarch mixture. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add bamboo, cloud ears, and bean curd. Bring to simmer and pour in eggs in a very thin stream over the surface of the soup. Wait 10 seconds and stir gently. Add garnishes and serve.
They also set out sesame oil/rice wine vinegar/soy sauce!
Here are some other recipes I have. I bet Stone has some really awesome ones...
Miso Soup With Eggplant
1 quart dashi (or more, recipe follows)
1/4 lb japanese eggplant
1/2 cup prepared seaweed (or arame)
2-3 T hatcho miso (red miso)
1 green onion, sliced thinly (white and green)
seven-spice seasoning, aka shichimi togarashi (optional)
Quarter eggplant lengthwise and slice quarters thinly.
Bring dashi to boil and add eggplant. Simmer till eggplant is soft. Add seaweed (if adding dry arame, cook till soft).
Mix miso into 1/2 cup of the hot soup till well mixed and then add to pot. Stir to mix.
Serve immediately with green onion sprinked on top. Pass seven-spice seasoning for individuals to add if desired.
Prepared seaweed can be found in Japanese groceries -- essentially just seaweed marinated with some water, salt, sugar, and sesame seeds. Good stuff.
Dashi
6 cups water
6 inches of kombu
Simmer kombu in water for half hour in uncovered pot. Remove kombu. Broth is the dashi -- use as directed in recipe.
Tom Ka Kai
1 tbsp. water
3 shallots minced
2 c thinly sliced mushrooms
3 c Veg Stock
1 1/2 tbs fresh ginger
1 tbs tamari
1 tbs light brown sugar
1 tsp Asian chili paste
1 14oz can unsweetened coconut milk (or sub soymilk and coconut extract)
6 oz extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/4 inch dice
Juice and grated zest of 1 lime
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
Heat water, add shallots, and cook until tender. Add the mushrooms. Stir in the stock ginger, tamari, sugar, and chili paste and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer. Stir in coconut milk, tofu, lime juice, zest and lemon juice and simmer until soup is hot.
Note: brown sugar was substituted with turbinado, several more scoops of chili paste were needed and instead of zesting a lime, put it in the pot for 2-3 mins
Tom Yum
1lb chicken breast, diced (I use a block of cubed firm tofu, instead)
3 cups chicken stock
4oz straw mushrooms
6 halved cherry tomatoes
1 fresh lemon grass stem cut into short lengths
2-3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
3 tbsp Thai fish sauce
4 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp sugar
5-6 hot fresh Thai chillies, just broken with pestle
Instructions:
Place the stock in a pot, add the lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the chicken meat, mushroom, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Cook slowly and uncovered for 10 minutes. Do not stir. Then add the tomatoes and chilies and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat
Wonton Soup
1 - 1 lb. package of ready made wonton wrappers (available in most supermarkets)
1 lb. lean ground pork
2 tbls. soy sauce
1 tsp. finely chopped ginger root
1 tsp. salt
1 - 10 oz. package chopped frozen spinich, defrosted, squeezed dry and chopped again. (about 1/2 cup after chopping)
6 cups chicken stock, fresh or canned. (I use powdered chicken stock mixed with water)
1 cup loosely packed watercress leaves or 1 cup fresh spinich, torn into very small pieces.
To make the filling; In a large bowl, combine the pork, soy sauce, ginger, and salt and usuing a spoon or your hands, mix thoroughly. Then add spinich.
To assemble the wontons: Place 1 tsp or so of the filling just below the center of each wrapper. Fold 1 side over the filling and tuck it's edge undeer the filling. Then with a finger dipped in water, moisten the exposed sides of the wrapper and roll up the filled cylinder, leaving 1/2" of the wrapper unrolled at the top. Now take the two ends of the cylinder in the fingers of both hands and pull them down beneath the roll until the ends meet and over lap slightly. Pinch the ends firmly together. As each wonton is made, place it on a plate and cover with a dry towel.
To cook: In a 4 to 5 qt. saucepan, bring 2 qts of water to boil and drop in the wontons. Return to a boil, reduce heat to moderate and cook uncovered for 5 minutes or until tender but still a little resistant to the bite. Drain through a colander. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to a boil, add the watercress or spinich and the wontons and return again to a boil. Serve at once.
Note: I used to make up the wontons and freeze them uncooked, Later when I just wanted just one bowl of soup, I'd bring as many out as I wanted and cook them up. I didn't always add the spinich or watercress to the stock either.
Asian Greens and Tofu Soup
Serving Size : 6
1 tablespoon water or broth
1 medium yellow onion -- chopped
2 medium carrots (peeled) -- slivered at an angle
2 garlic cloves -- minced
6 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil -- or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound extra firm tofu (low fat) -- 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups chopped bok choy or spinach
2 cups chopped Chinese cabbage or Napa cabbage
1 cup snow pea pods, fresh -- trimmed and halved
In a large saucepan, heat the water or broth over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and pepper and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the tofu, bok choy, cabbage and snow peas and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot.
TIP - to give the soup a woodsy flavor, add 6 to 8 fresh shiitake or oyster mushrooms to the pan while sautéing the onion and carrot.
NOTES : This brothy soup can be made with a variety of healthful Asian leafy greens, such as bok choy, napa and Chinese Cabbage, spinach, or whatever is in season.
If you are expanding your definition of "Asian" to include Indian, here is a terrific dal.
Five Dal Soup
Serving Size : 6
3 tbsps Mung beans
3 tbsps Pigeon peas
3 tbsps Yellow split peas
3 tbsps Green split peas
3 tbsps Chick peas
7 c Stock
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tbsp Coriander
1 tbsp Shredded ginger root
1 tsp Salt
4 ozs Fresh spinach
2 tsps Whole cumin seeds
2 tsps Minced green chilies
1 Bay leaf
1/8 tsp Asafetida (I use garlic)
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1/2 tsp Garam masala
2 tbsps Chopped coriander
Sort & wash the legumes. Combine in a bowl & soak in hot water for 1 hour. Drain. Combine the legumes with the stock, turmeric, coriander, and ginger root in a large pot. Bring to a boil & simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally.
Remove the pot from the heat, add the salt & beat with a whisk till the soup is quite smooth. Add the coarsely chopped spinach & cook gently for 10 minutes.
In a non-stick pan, saute the chilies and cumin for 20 seconds (add 1 tbsp of water if needed to prevent sticking). Then add the bay leaf, asafetida & cayenne. A few seconds later, add 3 TBS water. Cook for a minute or so & then pour into the soup. Sprinkle in the Garam masala & coriander & serve.
Soba Noodles with Miso Broth
For more heat, add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper instead of 1/4 teaspoon. Although their tough texture makes them undesirable to eat, the shiitake stems are used to flavor the broth, then discarded.
* 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms
* 9 cups fat-free, less-sodium veggie broth
* 1 (5-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, sliced
* 1 whole garlic head, peeled and crushed
* 3 tablespoons yellow miso (soybean paste)
* 1 (14-ounce) package extrafirm tofu, drained and diced
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 12 ounces buckwheat soba noodles
* 1 1/2 cups shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage
* 1/2 cup shredded carrots
* 1/2 cup finely sliced green onions
* 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Remove stems from mushrooms. Reserve stems. Slice mushroom caps into (1/4-inch) julienne strips; set aside.
Combine stems, broth, ginger, and garlic in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Strain broth through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Add miso to broth, stirring well with a whisk. Add tofu. Cover and keep warm.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms caps and pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes in a little water or until browned. Add to broth mixture.
Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.
Place 2/3 cup noodles into each of 6 shallow bowls; pour 1 1/2 cups hot broth mixture over each serving. Garnish each serving with 1/4 cup cabbage, about 1 1/2 tablespoons carrots, about 1 1/2 tablespoons onions, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.
Southeast Asian Miso Soup
This is a bright, attractive twist on the usual miso soup. It's light and energizing and fierce enough to drive away a cold. Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. The stock takes only minutes to get in the pot, and the garnishes are simple.
1 leek, greens included, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into large dice
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 lemongrass stalks, cut into 4-inch pieces
2-inch piece fresh ginger, unpeeled and cut into 6 pieces
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled and cut in half
2 jalapeños, cut in half
Handful cilantro stems
GARNISHES
2 oz. rice stick noodles, broken into 3-inch pieces
2 Tbs. dark red miso
4 oz. firm silken tofu, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1/3 box)
1 scallion (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
1 cup watercress (1/2 bunch, heavy stems removed)
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 small chile, such as Thai bird or Serrano, or small jalapeño, cut into very thin rings, optional.
1. In stockpot or large saucepan, combine leeks, onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, jalapeños, cilantro stems and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 35 minutes.
2. Pour stock through a strainer set over a large bowl; discard solids. You should have about 5 cups of stock. If necessary, add water to measure 5 cups. Pour stock back into pot, and reheat if necessary.
3. Bring medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add rice noodles. Let boil 1 minute, turn off heat, and let stand 10 minutes to soften. Drain.
4. Remove ¼ cup stock to small bowl; add miso, and stir until dissolved. Add miso mixture, noodles, tofu, scallions and watercress to stock. Stir in lime juice and cilantro leaves. Serve hot with jalapeño rings floating on top.
Thai-Style Pumpkin Soup
2 cans fat-free, vegetable broth -- (16 ounces)
1 can pumpkin -- (15-ounce)
1 can mango nectar -- (12-ounce)
1/4 cup reduced-fat chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons minced green onions
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove -- crushed
chopped fresh cilantro -- (optional)
1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Combine 1 cup pumpkin mixture and peanut butter in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Return mixture to pan. Stir in vinegar and next 5 ingredients (vinegar through garlic); cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.
Vietnamese Beef Pho
"Paper-thin slices of top round or sirloin are cooked along with rice noodles in individual serving bowls into which hot beef broth fragrant with lemon grass, ginger, and cinnamon is poured."
4 quarts beef broth
1 large onion, sliced into rings
6 slices fresh ginger root
1 lemon grass
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 pound sirloin tip, cut into thin slices
1/2 pound bean sprouts
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced into rings
2 limes, cut into wedges
2 (8 ounce) packages dried rice noodles
1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 dash hot pepper sauce
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1. In a large soup pot, combine broth, onion, ginger, lemon grass, cinnamon, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 1 hour.
2. Arrange bean sprouts, mint, basil, and cilantro on a platter with chilies and lime.
3. Soak the noodles in hot water to cover for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain. Place equal portions of noodles into 6 large soup bowls, and place raw beef on top. Ladle hot broth over noodles and beef. Pass platter with garnishes and sauces.
I hope you something see that appeals, Stevie!
I think it's not hard to make, once you master the technique of pouring in the egg whites with one hand while stirring the chicken stock with the other.
Glad to hear it's not just me!