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There are 3 most important things you need to know when making noodle soup:
- The base of of your soup (the stock)
- The fat content of your soup (the oils)
- The noodles you choose (the type)
The fundamentals of making the best stock for your soup.
Depending on your flavor profile, if you are looking at making a vegetable, chicken, beef or seafood stock is to get a selection of the following:
- 1/2 bones or meaty vegetables: a choice of at least one or more of your protein aka meats or meaty flavor vegetables: chicken bones, beef bones, seafood shells, fish heads, mushrooms, leaks, spring onion, pumpkin, tomatoes (I would roast the tomatoes in the oven with a bit of oil and salt and pepper for like 40 minutes)
- 1/4 root vegetables: a choice of at least 2-3 of these root vegetables: carrots, celery, radish, onion, ginger, garlic, lemongrass
- 1/4 aromatics: a choice of at least 1 or more of these aromatics: fresh herbs (pandan, daun limau, thyme, rosemary etc.), spices (cinnamon, star anise, clove etc.)
*Method:
- In a big pot, add in a dash of oil and brown your meat or meaty vegetables until brown and then remove and set aside
- In the same pot add in all of your vegetables before re-adding your bones/meaty vegetables for a following 6 – 8 minutes
- Add in enough liquid to cover your ingredients and place your aromatics before bringing to a boil for about 15 minutes
- Reduce the fire to a simmer and remove any scum (its like brownish froth that doesn’t look very appetizing) that may have gathered at the top of the pot and continue to boil for another 30 minutes (NOTE: the longer you slow cook it, the better the flavor)
- Once stock has been cooked, strain the bones and vegetables and leave to cool before freezing in bags or containers
The fundamentals of seasoning your soup with oils
Again depending on your flavor profile but here are my top 3 favourite:
- Garlic and Onion Oil
- Chili Oil
- Chicken / Meat drippings a.k.a FAT
*Method:
- Garlic and Onion Oil: in a pan add in 1 cup of oil and bring to a slow heat, add in 10 shallots (sliced thinly), 20 cloves of garlic (sliced thinly) and fry until crispy. Season with salt and a bit of sugar and cool in a mason jar
- Chili Oil: In a pan add in some oil, 1/2 cup of dried prawns (soaked in hot water and drained), 20 deseeded dried red chilies, 10 cloves of garlic, 20 shallots (sliced thinly), fry all until crispy before blending it to a pulp whilst drizzling 1 cup vegetable oil. Season with salt and sugar and place in a mason jar for safe keeping
- Chicken/meat drippings: When roasting a chicken/beef remove the layer of oil that is rendered from the chicken, save that and melt it in a pan with some garlic and season with salt and pepper. Alternatively, save the fat from the meat, add in 1/2 cup of vegetable oil and slowly melt it in a pan, add in chopped up garlic (6 cloves) season with salt and pepper and place in a mason jar
The noodles you choose defines the noodle soup
Again I love noodles and usually go for a rice base noodle for soup based noodle soup because I feel it holds better and can sustain the heat of the piping hot soup. Here are my top 3 favorite picks:
- Beehoon / Rice vermicelli
- Kuey Teow / Flat rice noodles
- Yes Mee / Crispy Fried Noodles (especially if you crack a egg yolk on top of the crispy noodles before pouring the broth. OWH MY GOD!)
The trick is to blanch the noodles in water until soft but still have a bite so it can hold its form in the soupy broth.
How to put together the perfect noodle soup?
- Step 1: Place noodles in a big bowl
- Step 2: Add any vegetables or meat of your liking
- Step 3: Crack an egg (optional but delicious)
- Step 4: Pour hot soup over the egg and noodles
- Step 5: Drizzle with oil and garnish with fresh herbs
I hope with this knowledge of soups and broth will enable you to have wholesome meals with your family. What are some of your tip and tricks in preparing the best noodle soup? Leave us your thoughts below!
*Written by Ili Sulaiman
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