Recipe Test #1 - Noodle Soup for Needy People

My dear, loving husband Paulo has been really needy lately. Okay, so I really have no idea what the title of this recipe means. Maybe Nigella came up with it for a homeless shelter? All I know is, it appealed to me and my husband, and it doesn't contain any of our temporarily "excluded" foods. This recipe is by Nigella Lawson, whom I love, and I have adapted it only slightly to avoid buying ingredients I would never use before they expired because I *hate* throwing away food!

Noodle Soup for Needy People

• 6 ounces udon noodles (dried, from a packet) [I used Soba noodles, as we already had them]
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable or dashi broth [I used low-sodium chicken stock]
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 star anise
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce [I used light soy sauce]
• 3/4 cup bean sprouts [I used soy bean sprouts]
• 3/4 cup sugar snaps
• 3/4 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms [I used baby portabellas: it's a half hour drive to the Asian Market]
• 2 heads baby bok choy, finely sliced [I used regular bok choy]
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions and while the water is boiling fill a nearby saucepan with stock, brown sugar, star anise, ginger and soy sauce. (When the noodles are done, just drain them and put half in each bowl.)

When the flavored stock comes to a boil, add the vegetables. They should be cooked before 2 minutes are up.

Pour half into each bowl, over the cooked and drained noodles and sprinkle with cilantro.

Result

The broth has great potential. It is a bit bland, but I attribute much of that to my salt reduction dietary restrictions. A few drops of Tabasco made it tastier. I found the cilantro flavor to be much too strong, most likely due to it not being cooked in the broth. It really overpowers the delicate vegetables in this dish. As for personal preference, I think next time I will toss the cilantro in with the broth while it's cooking, for a subtler cilantro flavor.

I think the main redeeming factor of this soup is just how fresh it tastes. You have the soft, slight chewiness of the soba noodles with the crispy crunch of the fresh veggies. I doubt this soup will taste as good tomorrow reheated! The only real regret I have in this case is failing to use shitake mushrooms. The baby portabellas I used are far too subtle, and this soup would really have been improved by the meaty flavor of shitakes.

So, is it worth trying again? I think so, although I think next time I will cook it exactly as written, the only exception being the cilantro. It was just a bit too strong for my tastes.

Feel free to leave recipe suggestions in the comments, I'm always looking for new ideas!