Mushroom noodle soup with smoked tofu

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Ingredients

• 40g/1½oz dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 litre boiling water
• 2 nests (about 40g/1½oz each) wholewheat noodles
• 2 reduced-sodium vegetable or beef stock pots
• 60g/2¼oz fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 star anise
• 4 cardamom pods, bruised
• 1 red chilli, sliced
• 1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce or fish sauce
• 4 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 200g/7oz smoked tofu, cut into 2cm/¾in cubes
• 200g/7oz choi sum (Chinese cabbage) or Tenderstem broccoli, sliced
• 150g/5½oz baby spinach, roughly chopped
• small handful coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds

Method

1. First, soak the porcini mushrooms. Put them in a mixing bowl and pour over the boiling water.

2. Leave to soak while you prepare the noodles.

3. Fill a saucepan with water, bring to the boil and cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, usually for about 5 minutes.

   1. Drain when cooked, then tip back into the dry pan and set aside.

4. Drain the mushrooms, catching the soaking water in a medium saucepan and setting the mushrooms aside on a board.

5. Add the stock pots, ginger, garlic, star anise, cardamom, chilli, soy sauce, spring onions and tofu to the pan.

6. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

   1. Add the choi sum or broccoli for the final 2 minutes of cooking.

7. Divide the noodles between two serving bowls, add the spinach, coriander and mushrooms, then pour over the stock.

8. Finish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Banner and Image Credit: BBC