This Hot and Sour Chinese Vegetable soup can be prepared entirely in a wok, taking advantage of the cookware’s quick-cooking capabilities and wide sides to keep anything from jumping out. A wok is really a versatile tool, and I love using mine for stir-frying as well as for making soups on the quick. If you don’t own a wok, it’s a worthy investment. I purchased a 14-inch Carbon Steel Wok from the Wok Shop two years ago and have been very happy with it.
So with wok on the burner, I set out on a busy Wednesday night to make a tasty vegetable soup with ingredients I had on hand and that wouldn’t take long to prep and cook. I started with tofu, Napa cabbage, carrots and garlic. Deep in the back of one cupboard I found a package of Ramen noodles and decided to add those, minus the seasoning packet, for some extra body. And for more speedy convenience, some Swanson’s Chinese-style Hot and Sour broth. This was my first soup using a packaged hot-and-sour broth, and it added plenty of flavor out of the gate. I was suspect that it would be more sour than hot, but that’s not the case. One of the broth’s primary ingredients is cayenne pepper, and this liquid does have a bite. My wife thought it was quite spicy, so you might want to cut the broth with some water if you’re not a spice lover. I, on the other hand, drizzled some Sriracha sauce over mine for a final burst of heat. Verdict? A very nice Asian-style veggie soup that came together quickly, was fun to make and had plenty of contrasting textures. Most importantly, it was a very flavorful soup.
- 1 Napa cabbage, cut into thin strips, washed and rinsed thoroughly
- 1 quart Swanson Chinese Hot & Sour broth
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 package extra firm Tofu, drained and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
- 1 package Ramen noodles, any flavor (save spice packet for another use)
- Salt and black pepper
- Drain liquid thoroughly from tofu and cut into ½-inch cubes
- Put the peanut oil into a wok and heat over high
- Add the tofu and cook until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes
- Remove tofu and let drain on paper towels
- Add the garlic and carrots and stir-fry for 2 minutes
- Stir in the cabbage, reduce heat to medium and cook 2 minutes
- Pour in the broth and increase heat
- Break the Ramen noodles into smaller pieces, add to the wok and cook until tender
- Taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired
- Put the tofu back into the wok and mix everything together
Looking for the perfect pot to cook up your next batch of soup? I recommend the Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. It comes in 11 different colors and is an excellent value for the price.
