Election night food. Easy Asian coconut noodle soup. Cheats.

Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 3, then southeast 4 or 5 later.

Slight, occasionally moderate.

Showers, then occasional rain.

Good, occasionally moderate.

What to eat on Election night? Patriotic? Related to how you vote? As usual? Choose the food of a country you see yourself emigrating to, if the wrong party gets the power? Whatever the pub with the big screen has on offer? Healthy, energetic and with positive outlook for the future? Or comfort because you know you will be screwed one way or the other?

For me it must be fast to cook, provide comfort but should be light. Green (what else!) and as usual some kind of soup, preferable with an Asian twist. Not that Asia has anything to do with this election, but I DO love my Asian soups.

Enter my super easy, cheat (Thai?) soup.

Everyone has a different take on allowed “cheats”. If I read a recipe which has some kind of “Campbell soup” in the ingredients list, I close the website. That is for ME crossing a line between acceptable and upmarket ready prepared food. For a food purist my choice of allowed cheats are unacceptable. The wonderful Delia Smith made a “mistake” her fans never forgave her. She wrote a book called “How to Cheat at Cooking” and introduced ready prepared, buyable products which even a determined, but time pressed, home cook can use without anyone noticing. The outcry was unbelievable and people forgot that she is actually not only a very fine cook, but also taught in her books “ How to..” the basics. Here is an example

“How dare she! Suggesting you could use roasted peppers from a jar, use a tin of beans and add ginger paste. Crime against food! She sold out” cried the public.

Bollocks! If I give you a jar with a galangal paste which tastes 95% like the one you have made fresh, you will use it if in a hurry or if you are tired.

So you will find some cheats here which I have sourced very carefully and keep in my fridge. And if you think that an Asian household doesn’t have ready prepared shrimps paste or uses garlic from a jar, you are wrong.

Super easy Thai inspired coconut noodle soup

1 large lemongrass stalk, outer leaves removed (or get the real fantastic Holy Lama Lemongrass Extract Spice Drops and use one drop)

3 lime leaves, left whole ( found in Asian supermarkets in the freezer, they freeze wonderful)

1 knob of galangal, peeled and cut with a sharp knife in very fine pieces (or use 1 teaspoon of a ready- made galangal paste like this)

1 Thai chilli, cut into small rings

1 whole star anise

5 peppercorns

0.5l vegetable stock (or chicken stock)

2 small, shredded  Bok choy

a small handful of frozen or fresh peas

1 spring onion, cut into thin slices

3 shiitake mushrooms (or 1 large Portobello mushroom), thinly sliced

3 tofu puffs, quartered or 50g plain firm tofu, cubed, or a handful of frozen shrimps, or a small, already cooked chicken breast, shredded. Or a combination of them.

half a teaspoon palm sugar or rock Kandis

If you have, 1 brined bamboo shot, cut in thin rounds

1 small package of ready cooked rice noodles (I actually used dried ones, they are quick to cook)

1 tin Mini Coconut Milk (165ml)

1 teaspoon fish sauce (nam pla)

1 lime wedge to serve

Using a heavy knife, smash the lemongrass and galangal (but not to break it up, just to release the aroma). Or don’t bother and use my cheats. Pop these in a large saucepan along with the lime leaves (lightly crushed), chili, star anise, peppercorns and stock. Bring up to the boil then reduce to simmer for 15-30 minutes. It should be reduced to around 300ml

Strain the flavoured stock into a large jug and give the pan a wipe, returning to the pan. Discard the solids.

Return the stock to the boil then add the remaining ingredients, except the fish sauce  and lime wedge, When almost boiling once again, turn down the heat to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the fish sauce and taste. Maybe a dash of soya sauce?

Ladle into 1 big bowl and serve with lime wedge.

Verdict:

Just what was needed!

Disclaimer:

I try to give credit as much as possible, but sometimes I forget where I saw it first.

I remember a similar one (albeit without cheats and slightly different, plus it was for four) on a fellow blogger`s site. I therefore don’t take full credit and if the blogger happens to read my site, please contact me and I am more than happy to link to you.