After the holidays wrapped, I was asked to start cooking a little healthier for a bit. While I wouldn’t describe my cooking as unhealthy, it is typically hearty and light on veggies and fish. My last recipe, for Moroccan-style Rockfish, was part of my healthy efforts, as is today’s recipe. With Chinese New Year coming up on Saturday, I figured I’d post this now in case you wanted to get in on the celebration for the Year of the Dragon. This soup definitely hit the spot as I was also getting over being sick around the time I prepared it. It is a feast for the eyes and tongue, as well as a good way to get in some greens. Now, for those of you asking when my hearty cooking will return, Friday is National Pizza Day (and you can use the leftover garlic oil from this recipe), so stay tuned!
Restorative Ginger & Turmeric Noodle Soup adapted from Food & Wine, Hetty McKinnon
Ginger & Turmeric Curry Paste
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 shallots, roughly sliced
1.5” piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
Jalapeño, sliced
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp coconut oil
Soup
1 qt vegetable stock
13.5 oz can coconut milk
10 oz udon noodles
~5 oz bunch of Swiss chard, stemmed, and roughly chopped into ribbons
2 scallions, sliced fine
Fistful of cilantro leaves
Lime, quartered for serving
Garlic Oil
¼ cup olive oil
Large garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced
Combine all of the Curry Paste ingredients (aside from the coconut oil) in a min-prep and pulse until everything is finely chopped. Add in the coconut oil and continue to process until a smooth paste is formed. Reserve.
Set a large pot of salted water over a burner on high heat and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, prepare the soup by adding 2 tsp olive oil to a large, deep skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add ½ cup of the prepared Curry Paste, and reduce the heat to medium-low, stirring constantly and cooking until it is aromatice, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the vegetable stock and coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8 minutes for the flavors to develop.
Meanwhile, prepare the garlic oil by combining the oil and sliced garlic in a small skillet, set over medium-high heat. Once the garlic begins to sizzle, stir constantly for 60-90 seconds until the garlic develops a light golden hue; do not brown the garlic. Once the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant, transfer to a squeezy condiment bottle or an oil dispenser and allow to cool before affixing the top.
Once the salted water begins to boil, add in the udon noodles and cook until al dente. Then drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again and divide the noodles among 4 soup bowls.
After the soup has simmered for 8 minutes, season with some salt and turn off the burner. Stir in the shard until slightly wilted, then divide among the soup bowls.
To serve, sprinkle the scallions and cilantro leaves over the bowls of soup, and add in a quartered lime. Drizzle the soup with garlic oil and bring the bowls to the table; slurp away!
______________________________ Copyright 2024, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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