There is magic in soup, not just the mildly antibiotic after effects of warm chicken noodle, but also in the making and serving. All that chopping and stirring is meditative and grounding, at least for me. Plus in making soup the cook is building on flavors, the sweetness of onions, the sharpness of garlic, the earthiness of celery and carrot, the savory stock, the herbs and fillips of garnishes.
In serving, you are presented with a steaming bowl of nourishment. Even soup from a can feels homey in a bowl. Comfort food cries out to be served in a bowl with a spoon, preferably a big one that makes you feel like a kid. And soup is communal and cohesive. It’s the ultimate one-pot, one-dish meal. A salad on the side is nice, but usually there are vegetables to be had in the main attraction and all it really needs is a crusty piece of bread to accompany. You can serve one or a 1000 fairly easily with soup. The soup below will serve 6 as a main dish.
Victoria’s Asian-inspired Chicken Noodle
1” piece fresh ginger, minced fine
1 clove garlic, minced fine
8 cups chicken stock
2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into ½” cubes
1 bunch noodles (somen, Chinese-style, udon) about 1/4#, cooked and rinsed in cool water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup scallions, sliced thinly at an angle, white and green part
Soy or tamari and pepper to taste
Chili sauce and/or toasted sesame oil to garnish
Heat a soup pan over medium high heat and add just enough oil to barely coat the bottom, sauté the garlic and ginger just until soft but don’t let it brown. Once it is softened, add the stock.
Bring the stock to a slow boil and stir into a swirl, slowly drizzle in the egg, continuing to stir the soup in a swirl. It should cook instantly into ragged shards, just as in egg drop soup. If it doesn’t the stock isn’t hot enough. Continue to drizzle in the rest of the egg.
Lower the heat and do not allow to boil again. Add the chicken and heat through then the cooked noodles and heat through. (If you know you are going to have leftover soup, don’t add the noodles to the soup, put them in the individual bowls and ladle soup over each serving.) Add the scallions and season to taste. Serve garnished with chili sauce to stir in for added heat or float a few drops of toasted sesame oil on the surface for an added punch.
