Who ever decided that Chicken Noodle Soup was “the thing” to eat when you’re under the weather? Personally, I think this veggie-packed and noodle-loaded vegan version is perfect for any time of day/year/personal well-being.
Last weekend everyone in the house had a cold. I had set aside most of Sunday for recipe testing, but as my sniffly self read through my list of recipes-in-progress, nothing really sounded good. What I needed, and what was missing from my list, was something that was nutritious, hydrating and comforting. If only humans had invented such a food… oh wait, they have! Chicken noodle soup is something that my omma and grandmother used to always make for me as a kid when it was cold out or when I was feeling under the weather. In this vegan version, I'm stoked to share a version made entirely from plants and yay to the fact that I’ve ditched the chicken in favour of chewy baked tofu pieces.
Stuck in a rut but wanting to eat some chinese? This dumpling & sesame tofu herbal noodle soup is full of healthy veggies, protein packed tofu and gluten free noodles. The perfect vegan meal for the cold season. And when I'm sick I love having asian soup. Something about garlic, ginger and spicy broth that is soothing and helps clear the sinuses. I grew up eating chicken noodle soup...honestly, who didn't? That warm bowl of comforting soup that was overly loaded with salt, was somehow so satisfying. Of course, looking at the can of ingredients now is pretty gross. I do remember how the chicken in the can was always really rubbery and I would end up spitting most of it out.
I actually cooked this dumpling soup recently as the weather has pretty cooling nowadays and that somehow made me crave for hot soupy stuffs most of the time. The hearty, warm soup is perfect for cold nights and actually for any other night. The noodles and the dumplings are best served with chili sauce.
The first time you have a real dumpling, whether homemade or at a proper restaurant that makes them fresh with fillings, you will be blown away. The filling is tender and you can actually taste what it’s made of, rather than being a small grey ball of ‘meat’ made of who-knows-what. It’s like the difference between a homemade vegan sausage roll and a cheap frozen supermarket one. They are simply incomparable. Homemade dumplings are simply incredible. Simply being the operative word here. I think dumplings are one of those things that many people don’t think to make, assuming they are really tedious and take ages. But they don’t!! The filling takes minutes to make (literally – 5 minutes) and wrapping the dumplings is super fast if you use my method!
Are you a noodle lover? I’m all for noodles. I enjoy slurping my noodles. Every time I slurp, I will cause a mess because the way I do the deed causes the noodle to ‘flick’ as I get to the end of it, which inevitably causes little drips of broth to go everywhere... including the inevitable splatter on my glasses, which then requires me to stop eating and clean the lenses. My slurping skills are subpar. “Noodle harassment” my omma always complain. However, by slurping, the noodles and their broth taste better, because as you slurp, you are opening up your nasal passages and inhaling all the soup’s delicious scents. If you were to just bite off noodle pieces, you’d miss all those aromas and flavours. So, for goodness’ sake, if you are eating noodles, please slurp. If anyone gets annoyed while you are doing that, pay them no mind because they’re missing the point entirely.
The most slurpy, drool-worthy, scrumptious dumpling noodle soup there ever was, with fresh veg, sautéd mushrooms, crispy tofu cubes and cosy dumplings. Uh, yes please and thank you very much.
IF YOU EVER GIVE THIS RECIPE A TRY, DO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND/OR TAG @FRUITYEMZ AND HASHTAG #FRUITYEMZ ON YOUR INSTAGRAM POST! 🙂
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