Spicy Tomato Mung Bean Noodle Soup
Spicy Tomato Mung Bean Noodle soup is the perfect bowl of comfort food with oodles of delicious edamame mung bean noodles and a vegan tomato hot pot broth that can be on your table in less than 15 minutes.
The weather is very damp and cooler this week in Hong Kong and I just crave warming soups, stews, curries and of course hot pot.
Have you ever eaten Chinese hot pot? Hot pot is a very special cooler weather treat here in Hong Kong and my favorite broth is a spicy tomato broth. Hot pot is a pot of delicious broth that allows its diners to cook thin slices of meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, tofu, noodles, eggs, etc right at their table. This spicy tomato mung bean noodle soup broth has warming ginger, garlic, onions, chili and of course loads of fresh tomatoes and coriander roots.
Life is just busy and I don't have hours to prepare a delicious meal but I can spare 15 minutes. How about you?
You are going to love this spicy tomato mung bean soup as it just warms your from the inside out. The aroma of the aromatics cooking will stimulate your taste buds and you will love slurping those delicious gluten-free mung beans and edamame noodles.
I found a package of edamame and mung bean gluten-free noodles at a local store here in Hong Kong called Just Green. They have loads of health food, organic fresh fruits and vegetables and huge stock of gluten-free and dairy free items and for me that is just perfect.
However, I really think traditional think mung bean noodle threads or even pad Thai rice noodles would be equally delicious in this recipe. I am all about the motto, "Use what you have on hand".
This soup is a true reflection of that motto with just little tids and tads of this and that in the refrigerator is how this dish came about. What do you have in your crisper or freezer can make one delicious little quick and easy meal and is friendly on the wallet. I had a little bok choy and carrot to use up so that landed in the pot too.
One of my favorite things about Chinese hot pots or soups is the delicious broth that only grandma knows the secret to. One day I was having a delicious tomato based hot pot in Causeway Bay and asked what was in the broth... the usual garlic, onions, chili and then the show stopper was ketchup. Ketchup? Really? A little Chinese grandma put ketchup in her soup base. I was baffled and thought it just might a translational issue but I kid you not she brought out a bottle of Heinz ketchup to show me.
I also was able to find gluten-free ketchup in Just Green and so I was off to make that delicious aromatic tomato broth for my spicy tomato mung bean noodle soup.
Cold Damp weather is hard on the body and in Chinese medicine you should drink warm fluids and eat warming herbs such as garlic, chili and ginger and eat mung beans as this helps relieve the dampness from your body. This delicious spicy tomato and mung bean noodle soup is just what the doctor ordered. Stay healthy and happy my friends!
Spicy Tomato Mung Bean Noodle Soup
January 8, 2016
Spicy Tomato Mung Bean Noodle soup is the perfect bowl of comfort food with oodles of delicious mung bean noodles and a vegan tomato hot pot broth that can be on your table in less than 15 minutes.
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 4 Adults or 1 Hungry Teenager
Ingredients
ginger - 1 inch knob fresh grated (or 1 teaspoon powdered)
coriander roots - 1 heaping tablespoon (optional)
chili - 1 medium sized mild red Chinese Chili fresh (or can use 1/4 teaspoon dried chilis flakes or to taste)
carrots - 2 small carrots peeled sliced ultra thin
vegan broth - 6 cups vegan broth (48 oz or about 1 .5 liter) - or substitute with your favorite homemade broth.
Edamame Mung Bean Noodles - 100 grams or about 4-5 ounces of your favorite noodles like mung bean thread or pad Thai Rice noodles
tomatoes - 2 cups (I used small Malaysian cherry tomatoes but you could used regular large tomatoes but may been to blanched and remove skin first)
ketchup - 2 heaping tablespoon (gluten-free)
white pepper - 1/4 teaspoon or to taste
Directions
1Add canola oil to a medium large soup pot and turn the burner to medium high and add onion, ginger, garlic, coriander roots, chili, carrot (cut super thin so they cook fast) and salt and pepper to taste and too just toss and stirfry just until you smell the aromatics (about 2 minutes). Add the vegetable broth and bring soup to a boil. Add tomatoes, ketchup and salt and white pepper. Turn down the heat and Cook on medium high heat for about 10 minutes.
2In the mean time cook or soak your mung bean noodles according to the package directions and then rinse and cool. Set aside
3Taste and adjust seasonings to your soup. If you like your soup a little more tomato based then add a little more ketchup to the pot. Add the bok choy and allow to cook for about 2 minutes just until the leaves turn bright green.
4Serve your delicious Spicy Tomato Mung Bean Noodles soup by first adding your noodles to the serving bowls and then top off with the rich and delicious spicy tomato broth and enjoy. Garnish with chopped spring onions if desired.
