Last week’s Hot and Sour Broth Base recipe has so much flavor that you can sip a mugful diluted in stock. It’s also the initial layer of a filling meal. This week’s variation, with juicy shrimp and soft noodles, is just one idea. With the ready-to-use base in your freezer, hot and sour soup becomes a highly adaptable, quick and easy lunch or supper.
I add frozen cubes of broth base and Homemade Shrimp Stock or Homemade Vegetable Stock straight to the stockpot. The mushroom-infused water, or hot tap water if you’re using fresh mushrooms, keeps the blocks from sticking to the bottom while they thaw on the stove.
Cellophane noodles are also sold as glass, crystal or bean thread noodles or Asian vermicelli. They cook quickly, are gluten free and keep well in the pantry, even if you buy a large package of the bundled threads. Shrimp also cook so quickly that I recommend starting with raw ones so that they stay juicy rather than turning rubbery.
If you made a vegan broth base, replace the shrimp with tofu. Vegetarians might like a soft-boiled egg on top. Fresh or frozen cherry tomatoes or bell peppers can replace the mushrooms, as can pineapple or mango chunks for sweetness to counter the tangy broth.
Fresh cilantro and perhaps a handful of bean sprouts create a simple yet attractive topping. As a cilantro replacement, try sliced scallions or chives or minced basil and mint. If you prefer a crispy garnish, fry the shallots and garlic, scoop them onto a paper towel to drain and then sprinkle them on top instead of leaving them in the pot. Toasted almonds and sesame seeds can add crunch instead.
Hot and Sour Shrimp and Noodle Soup
Serves 2
2 dried or fresh shitake or other mushrooms
1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, sliced in thin rings
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 ounces Hot and Sour Broth Base
3 cups vegetable or shrimp stock
3 ounces cellophane noodles
8 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Bean sprouts for garnish (optional)
If using dried mushrooms, soak them in the hot water for about 20 minutes, until softened. In a stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Fry the shallots, gently stirring, for about five minutes, until golden and crisp. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Remove the mushrooms from the soaking water and pour the infused water into the stockpot; if you didn’t rehydrated mushrooms, add the hot tap water now. Add the soup base and stock, bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for five minutes.
Thinly slice the rehydrated or fresh mushrooms; add them to the pot. Stir in the noodles and shrimp. Simmer for about five minutes, just until the shrimp curl and turn pink and the noodles soften. Remove the soup from the heat and divide between bowls. Garnish with the cilantro and bean sprouts, if desired.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger at TwiceAsTasty.com.