Monsoon rains… the Ber-season… The slight chill of autumn. When all you want to do is snooze a bit longer in bed ⏤ thanks to the bed weather ⏤ a steaming bowl of soup would be a perfect waker-upper.
Everyone has her own “comfort food”; for many of us, it’s soup, noodles, “sabaw.” Call it whatever you like, as long as it’s piping hot and filling, nothing reminds you more of mom’s homemade meals.
Many homemakers or home managers consider cooking soups an extra expense, a time-consuming exercise. It doesn’t have to be the case. Yuppies and parents alike can put together this easy recipe, especially those who find themselves in a rush ⏤ even when the bed beckons them to jump back in! More than just the savor, aroma, and quick-cooking method, one can appreciate the completeness of this definitely delish bowl of simple goodness.
Richly-flavored stock is the base for any soup. One could also get stock from boiled succulent vegetables or root crops, such as, squash, potatoes, chayote, unripe papaya, carrots. You could also boil bananas, oats, legumes, beans, and cereals; portions of it could be mashed for the thickening of the soup, making the soup creamier and tastier.When boiling pork, chicken, beef, sea foods, and fish, season it with salt, pepper, ginger, turmeric, lemon grass, Pandan (screwpine) leaves, and bay leaf to give the flavor more body. Save two cups or more, depending on the volume of the stock, for the base-liquid of your future soup stock. Add eggs, powdered milk, or oats for that extra creaminess, nutrition, and consistency.
This recipe is a good pick-me-up for a child or a spouse who’s down with the flu. It also manages to put all that vital nutrition into a single serving ⏤ veggies, meat, and a bit of carbs. Who says rainy days need to be a drag?
Quick Cool Monsoon Soup:
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
¼ cup of any shredded leftover meat or fried fish
1 small carrot, pared and sliced into small cubes
1 small head broccoli, washed, sliced into small cubes
½ cup mushroom of any kind, sliced thinly or the size of the other veggies
Salt and pepper for seasoning
2 cups soup stock
1 tbsp. oats
1 pack instant noodles, minus the seasonings
1 medium egg, slightly beaten
- Sautée garlic and onion in a little oil.
- Stir fry the meat and then the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the soup stock and the oats.
- When it starts to simmer, add the noodles.
- When the soup starts to boil, add in the beaten egg.
- Simmer one more time and serve!
Beste njoyed with croutons, crackers or toasted bread. (Lizette Irma Delacruz)