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Noodle Soup (elaborate)

'Its a project'

(This isn't the noodle soup I'm describing here but what do you want from me I'm on quarantine)

I've been making noodle soups for years, since I was a child really. I have a very clear memory of me and my brother and two of our friends (who were also brothers) making a big pot of Aldi's noodle soup and feeling accomplished because we added some peas and scallions to the pot. Our skills, and the complexity of the recipe, have grown somewhat since but it is still a thoroughly satisfying and nutritious dish.


The Broth 
Carrots (essential)
Onions (essential)
Garlic (essential)
Celery (essential)
Various odds and ends of (raw) veg
Herbs and spices (cinnamon sticks, star anise, coriander seed, fresh ginger, dried chili, pepper corns and dried mushrooms)
Bay leaf (nice to have)
Neutral oil
Water
  1. Make stock as in my vegetable stock recipe.  Leave out the Parmesan rind and use cinnamon sticks, star anise, coriander seed, fresh ginger, dried chili and dried mushrooms as you herbs and spices. 
  2. This will leave you with a powerful and restorative stock to base your noodle soup on.  it's kind of irreplaceable on this one but in a pinch you could boil the aromatics above into a stock-cube stock. 
The accouterments 

Choose whichever of these you find pleasing, serve in small bowls on the table to let people pimp their own soup. 

Eggs 
  1. lightly boil half an egg per person, you're looking for half way between hard and soft boiled.  shell the egg and cut in half. 
Fresh stuff
  1. Finely slice spring onion, garlic, fresh chili (preferably a milder red chili), 
  2. Chop ginger into thin match sticks. 
  3. Cut limes into segments. (This is magic, highly recommend)
  4. Cut up some herbs (mint, basil and especially coriander)  
Stir fried broccoli
Broccoli (Cut into quarter florets, you could also do some pak choi if you wanted)
Garlic (Two cloves, sliced)
Dark soy sauce (to taste)
Toasted sesame oil (a conservative drizzle)
Water (A splash)
Oil
  1. Get your wok hot and add a glug of oil. 
  2. Add the garlic for about 20-30 seconds. 
  3. Add the broccoli just as  the garlic begins to change colour. stir fry for about five minuets. before  adding a splash of water then soy. 
  4. Allow to steam for a little while then serve onto the table. 

Serve each diner a bowl of cooked noodles (don't cook them in the broth) and broth and array all your accouterments on the table as well as both light and dark soy and toasted sesame oil. everyone makes their own personal bowl. 

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