GINGER BROTH & SOBA
It’s been pretty cool in London lately, this clean and nourishing noodle soup is perfect for the somewhat chilly British summer.
This recipe is adaptable, you can switch out the toppings if you like, I used buckwheat noodles, they’re a classic choice for this style of soup, but udon would work really well too.
I really like the idea of the chickpeas. I saw it in Bon Apetit magazine and thought it looked delicious, and something different to add to a noodle soup for that bite and protein.
Roast cabbage is lovely with this dish but steamed hispi cabbage or spring greens would also be very nice. The broth is quite spicy from the ginger alone, you can tone it down a little by adding less.
Serves 2
For the broth
100g ginger, cut into ½ cm rounds
20g / 3 round shallot, cut in half
1 clove garlic, smashed whole
3 x lemongrass - sliced
800g water
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp mirin
Roast cabbage
¼ large red cabbage
2 tablespoon rapeseed oil
2 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoon tamari
Pan fried chickpeas
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained or 200g dry, soaked overnight
2 tablespoon rapeseed oil
Salt and white pepper
Dulse furikake
150g toasted sesame
6g dulse
1 teaspoon salt
½ tsp chilli (optional)
90g buckwheat noodles
Toasted sesame oil - to dress the noodles
Sprinkle onion or chives.
Method :
If you’re using dried chickpeas, drain and rinse, cook with plenty of water until tender.
Pre heat oven, 220c.
To make the broth, add all of your ingredients except the tamari and mirin to a medium pan. Bring up to the boil, turn the heat down immediately and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain the broth into a bowl using a fine mesh sieve. Discard the solids and keep the liquid, stirring in the tamari and mirin.
While you’re cooking the broth prepare the rest of your ingredients.
Roast your cabbage. Cut the cabbage into 2 inch pieces, mix through the rapeseed and bake on a parchment lined baking tray in the hot oven for about 25 minutes until crispy and caramlised on the outside, and the centre tender. Set aside.
Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, drain and rinse well, dressing with a drizzle of sesame oil, set aside.
For the furikake, blitz all the ingredients in food processor, blender or use a pestle and mortar to grind, until you have a rough crumb, the dulse may still be a little chunky but that’s okay. Transfer into a jar and set aside. This will make more than you need but it keeps well and is good to have on your shelf to brighten up and add nutrients to your day to day cooking.
For the crispy chickpeas, heat a large pan, and add a tablespoon of rapeseed oil, when hot add the chickpeas. Toast until crispy and browned on the outside. With these I don’t take them to the point of being crunchy, just so they have a nice outside colour, great for flavour. Season with a little salt and white pepper.
When you’re ready to serve, heat the broth, divide it between two bowls, divide the noodles, cabbage, chickpeas and finish with chives or spring onion and the furikake sprinkle.
If you want to add some greens, watercress or cavolo nero - torn and lightly toasted in a dry pan, would be lovely.
