Mix it Up: Spicy Asian Soup / Goal #34: Try 12 new dinner recipes (2/12)

{not mine, but it looks a lot like this}

If there's one thing I love, it's a spicy soup. Back in the colder months I finally decided I needed to learn how to make my own spicy Asian-style soup. After a few Google searches and recipe look-ups I did what I do very often - I took bits and pieces from each recipe i.e. ingredients I prefer, ingredients I had on hand, techniques I felt confident I could execute, techniques that were quicker, easier, etc. and created my own, very yummy, very spicy, Asian inspired soup.

Obviously I'm sharing this recipe far too late now that we're hitting triple digit scorching weather! But after having a Saturday filled with heavy drinking, Sunday a spicy soup was just the fix for my aching hangover. In the spirit of hangover cures... Enjoy.

Spicy Asian Soup

Adapted from many Google searches

Ingredients:

- Soba noodles, I go with maruchan's fresh yaki-soba noodles*
- 1/2 cabbage, chopped
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. chopped garlic
- 2 tsp. chili oil, I prefer Sun Luck chili oil
- 2 tbsp. chili pepper flakes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp. chili pepper paste, I prefer Huy Fong chili garlic paste
- Fresh lime juice
- 6-8 oz. cooked protein (chicken, brisket, pork, tuna, tofu, etc.)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion

Directions:

- Cook noodles according to package directions, cut to 4 inch lengths and set aside.
- In a large soup pot over medium heat, stir fry cabbage with soy sauce, garlic, chili oil, and chili pepper flakes for a few minutes, or until the leaves begin to look transparent.
- Add broth and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and stir in chili pepper paste.
- After 10 minutes, add in noodles and cook for 4 more minutes.
- Add protein to each bowl. Ladle broth and noodles into bowl and top with lime juice, cilantro, green onion and salt to taste.

*I'm very new to Soba noodles and other Asian-style noodles. So I have no stake here on what's best to purchase. I personally bought maruchan's fresh yaki-soba noodles, found near the tofu/veggie burger/vegan food, and I liked. There are tons of other kinds to buy, but any curly, Asian, soup noodle will suffice for this.