Asian Soba Noodle Soup With Lemongrass Recipes

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN SOBA NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Remove any tough ends or hard outer husks of lemongrass, cut into 2-inch pieces, and smash with the side of a knife. Tie lemongrass in a loose bundle with cheesecloth.
• Rinse chicken and place in a medium soup pot. Add 6 cups cold water to cover chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and skim the surface thoroughly of any impurities that rise.
• Lower the heat and add carrot, onion, garlic, ginger, and the lemongrass bundle. Adjust heat so water barely bubbles. Cover and poach chicken for 25 minutes. Lift chicken out of the pot and transfer to a plate. When it's cool enough to handle, pull meat off the bones and shred the meat into large pieces. Set aside.
• Add soy sauce to broth and return to a boil. Add noodles, scallions, shiitakes, and bok choy; cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until noodles are tender. Add chicken and heat through. Discard lemongrass bundle. Stir in the cilantro or basil before serving.

SOBA NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oven (or a toaster oven) to 300. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In another large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil; stir in the bonito flakes, turn off the heat and steep for 10 minutes, no more. Strain into a large bowl; discard the flakes.
• Put the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and a pinch of salt in the pot you used to make the broth; bring to a boil. Let it boil for a minute, then add the bonito stock; bring it back to a boil, and transfer 6 cups to a separate pot and keep hot. (This will be the broth for the soup; what remains is for cooking the eggs.) Toast the nori in the oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Cut into quarters and set aside. Crack the eggs into a bowl or a large measuring cup with a spout and beat until frothy.
• Cook the noodles in the boiling water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain, quickly rinse under cold running water and drain again. Put a portion of noodles into each of four soup bowls. Using a circular pouring motion, slowly stream the eggs, 1/3 at a time, into the smaller amount of boiling broth; as the first third sets, add the second; as the second sets, add the third, then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for a minute. In the meantime ladle the stock (the one without the eggs in it) over the noodles. Use a slotted spoon to scoop a portion of the egg into each bowl, garnish with the nori and scallions and serve.

LEMONGRASS AND LIME THAI NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add lemongrass, lime juice, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes; heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion; cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil and tofu; stir-fry until tofu is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Combine water, chicken stock, coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar in a large pot; bring to a boil. Pour in lemongrass mixture. Simmer over low heat until flavors combine, about 20 minutes. Add bok choy and rice noodles; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.