Pork Soup with Noodles and Vegetables
- What's Al Made?
- Aug 26, 2016
- 2 min read
I'm a late bloomer to the joys of Asian cooking.
The endless array of ingredients in the Asian grocery stores both fascinated and intimidated me. Mostly because there was just so much and most of the labels written in other languages. But, thanks to the help of fabulous YouTube cooks, I'm actually starting to understand how all the sauces and condiments work in dish. It hasn't been easy! You're talking to a person who's maximum exposure to asian cuisine was a weekly visit to the local chinese Restaurant in the 60's and 70's and soy sauce!
Neil Perry's "Balance & Harmony" cookbook was a revelation to me in the 2000s (thanks to my Malaysian Chinese friend, Meng, for that fabulous 50th birthday gift) and carefully explained the use and combination of all the different sauces and condiments and how to achieve so many different flavours. And mostly, using fresh vegetables, noodles and proteins to slap together the most amazing dishes and seemingly, in no time at all. Topping everything with fresh herbs and nuts could also transform the "ho hum" to spectacular heights. This was no "meat and three veg" cuisine.
The fabulous convenience that I have experienced with Asian recipes is that you can use leftovers like pork from last night's dinner and cupboard staples like dried noodles plus a few vegetables and suddenly you've got a tasty meal in front of you. Perfect for those after work dinner preparations. And no need to order takeaway.
Try to bake a chook at least once a week so you can save the carcass to simmer in your crockpot all day and produce the best, homemade stock for your soups. A Vinnies found crock pot that I picked up for $7 works tirelessly while I'm at work to extract every last bit of goodness out of the chicken bones which have a celery stick, carrot and bay leaf helping the flavour. Strain the stock when you get home and freeze it in sandwich size, snaplock bags for future recipes. No need to buy expensive packet stocks.
There's all sorts of miso in the supermarkets these days. So easy to get your hands on and stores, seemingly forever in the fridge. A brand called Hikari make a packet of individually packed miso soups that can sit in your cupboard for ages. In the winter, I take a few of these sachets with me to work and drink those instead of tea or coffee during the day. Miso is very good for you, almost like a penicillin. As is homemade chicken stock.
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