Soup | Memorable Dishes

Bacon Potato Leek Soup

January 16, 2017 8:31 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

My kids love soup. However, growing up in a Chinese family, soup equates to something you drink at the beginning or at the end of a meal but never as a meal itself. Usually, the soup we drink is a broth that cleanses our bodies and helps us stay healthy. My kids were also introduced to drinking cleansing broths at my mother’s house. Later on, I learned my mom’s cleansing soup recipes and made them for my kids too. So my kids are growing up drinking cleansing broths like me.

When I initially introduced thicker soups as meals, my boys were flabbergasted. They thought it was weird that the soup was so thick and considered them non-soups. As a mom, I would keep on making foods that my kids originally rejected hoping that they would eventually respond well to them. After making my Roasted Butternut Squash Soup a few times along with bribing them with my Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (Finish the soup first, THEN you can have the grilled cheese!), they slowly opened themselves up to drinking or eating soup that is less brothy.

So when I made this Bacon Potato Leek Soup, they were in heaven. They declared that it was the best soup I ever made. I concluded when you add bacon to any food, kids would eat them. I dedicate this Memorable Dish to all the moms with kids who claim to have aversions to certain foods but eventually embrace them. (Yay for moms due to their nagging, I mean persistent effort!)

Bacon Potato Leek Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Serving Size: 6

Ingredients

3-4 Leeks, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped (approximately 6 cups)
2 lbs Potatoes (Yukon gold or Russet), peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
6 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup Smoked Bacon, small dice
1 Bay Leaf
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large pot, brown the smoked bacon. (You could add a bit oil to render the fat if you want to but not necessary.)
Strain the bacon and leave 1 tbsp of bacon fat in the pot.
Add the leeks to the pot and cook them until softened (approx. 5 min).
Add potatoes, bacon, stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are softened (approx. 15 min).
Turn the heat off.
Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
Bring the puréed soup to a boil.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Note #1: Clean the leeks thoroughly by cutting off the top and dark green parts. Then cut the leek in half, lengthwise and rinse out any dirt in between the leek

Note #2: If you don’t have smoked bacon, just use a few slices of regular bacon.

https://www.memorabledishes.com/bacon-potato-leek-soup/

Recipe by Memorable Dishes | www.memorabledishes.com

Posted in: Appetizer, Main Course, Soup, Vegetables , Tagged: bacon, leek, potato, soup

Alphabet Soup

May 16, 2016 7:36 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

This Memorable Dish was requested by my second son because he was sick this past week. It was definitely a sick soup week for all. When one person in the family gets sick, at least two out of the five (but usually more) will also get sick. Luckily (or maybe unluckily) I never get sick, which means I am the one taking care of the sickies. Growing up Chinese, when we get sick, we eat congee such as my Century Egg and Pork Congee. We also avoid certain foods. For example, when we get a cough, we never eat oranges or drink cold drinks. We also make special drinks or soups to nourish ourselves when we’re sick. So on top of making the specially requested alphabet soup, I have also been making drinks and soups using Chinese herbs. But we’ll save special nourishing Chinese soups for another post. Now back to alphabet soup…

I love that the boys request certain foods depending on what mood they are in. They have equated soupy noodles as foods that they like to eat when they are sick. My second son requests special foods quite often. He has been requesting Spaghetti and Meatballs and macaroni and cheese and even offered to help me cook them because he loves these dishes so much. I love to get reminders on what to make from time to time. With busy weekdays, I often make my usual go-to dishes (some kind of meat/fish with rice and veggies). It’s nice to hear special requests because that means they enjoy the food I make for them 🙂 .

When I told the boys that I’m making Alphabet Soup, they all cheered. Sickies and non-sickies alike enjoy this Memorable Dish. Even though you could make this soup with any shaped pasta, using the alphabet pasta was extra special to them. They always ask for seconds for this simple and quick dish. I don’t know why I don’t make it more often because this dish really makes them so happy! Then again, if I make it often, it might not be so special afterall 😉 .

Alphabet Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Serving Size: 1

Ingredients

1/2 cup of cooked alphabet pasta
1/2 cup diced Ham (or whatever leftover meats you have on hand, I’m using turkey Kolbassa this time)
1/2 cup frozen Corn (defrosted)
2 cups Chicken Broth (Homemade or your favourite store-bought brand)
Splash of Vegetable Oil
Salt and White Pepper to taste

Preparation

Prepare alphabet pasta according to package instructions.
Drain pasta in colander, add vegetable oil and mix to prevent from sticking.
Bring the chicken broth to a boil and add pasta, ham, and corn.
Once the broth boils again, it’s ready to serve.

https://www.memorabledishes.com/alphabet-soup/

Recipe by Memorable Dishes | www.memorabledishes.com

Posted in: Main Course, Noodles, Pasta, Soup, Vegetables , Tagged: alphabet pasta, corn, one-dish meal, soup

Century Egg and Pork Congee
(皮蛋瘦肉粥)

January 11, 2016 8:51 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

Congee is a comfort food that many Asians grew up eating. It’s a rice porridge that is typically served for breakfast or lunch if you accompany it with other heartier foods such as noodles. You’ll get full pretty fast if you’re eating congee but you’ll get hungry pretty soon too because it’s liquidy. It’s also a great meal to eat when you’re feeling sick because it’s warm and nourishing. Congee is like North American’s chicken soup.

I’m sure a lot of Chinese children grew up eating this Memorable Dish whether they grew up in Asia, North America or any other part of the world. If they are able to buy century eggs, their moms or grandmothers would’ve made them this congee when they were children.

My mother uses a couple of Chinese ingredients that may not be common to some. So if you can’t find them or don’t want to use them, it’s OK. One ingredient is conpoy (dried scallop) because it gives the congee a better taste. You won’t find good quality conpoy at your Chinese grocery store. We usually buy it from a Chinese dried seafood shop (海味店). She also mixes dried bean curd sheet (腐竹) with the rice before boiling it.

At first, my boys didn’t seem to like congee very much. Every time we had it at my mom’s house, they would only eat a few spoonfuls. They ate more of the side dishes of noodles and Chinese cruller. For them, congee equates Chinese cruller; congee is blasphemous without it. As time goes by, they started getting second bowls of congee! I wonder if it’s because of the crunchy Chinese cruller they love dipping the congee into or their taste suddenly evolved into a higher level of adult sophistication.

I’m sure this Memorable Dish brings back childhood memories for a lot of Chinese families. I remember my grandmother making it for us when we were kids and now my mother makes it for us and my kids. When my kids grow up I will teach them how to make this dish for their family with the hopes that they will continue the tradition of congee cooking for their loved ones.

Century Egg and Pork Congee
(皮蛋瘦肉粥)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Serving Size: 6-8

Ingredients

1 pound Lean Pork, cut into 2 big pieces
2 tsp Salt
1 Century Egg (cut in half)
1 cup Rice
2 slices of Ginger
16 cups Water
3 pieces of Conpoy (Dried Scallop) (optional)
1/2 cup Dried Bean Curd Sheet, crushed up (optional)
1 sliced Green Onion for garnish
White Pepper & Salt or Soy Sauce to taste

Preparation

The night before, coat pork pieces with salt and marinate in the fridge.
If using conpoy, soak them in water to reconstitute it.
On the day of making the congee, rinse rice until the water is almost clear.
In a large bowl, mix 1/2 century egg, rice and dried bean curd sheet (if using) together. Set aside.
After conpoy has been softened, break pieces up with a fork or by hand.
In a large pot, put 12 cups of water, pork pieces, ginger slices, and conpoy (if using). Bring everything to a boil.
Once it’s boiled, skim off scum and boil for another 15 minutes.
Put rice mixture into the boiling liquid and once it’s boiled, turn down to medium to medium high heat.
The liquid should be in a rolling boil state.
Keep the pot lid slightly open so the congee won’t boil over,
Cook congee for 15 minutes and add the additional 4 cups of water.
Cook congee for approximately 45 minutes more.
Check and stir the pot periodically to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom as it thickens.
Once you boil it to the consistency of your liking, the rice should be broken down by now. Turn off heat.
Take the big pork pieces out of the pot and shred it with a fork or by hand.
Cut the other half of the century egg into small pieces.
Put the shredded pork and century egg back into the pot of congee and mix.
Serve in bowls and garnish with green onions, white pepper and salt or soy sauce to taste.

Notes

If you like thicker congee, cook it longer. If you like it thinner, add a bit more water. Make sure you bring it back to a boil if using cold water.

https://www.memorabledishes.com/century-egg-and-pork-congee/

Recipe by Memorable Dishes | www.memorabledishes.com

Posted in: Breakfast, Main Course, Pork, Rice, Soup , Tagged: century egg, congee, pork

Fish Sticks and Cream of Chicken Soup

November 30, 2015 7:41 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

You would think fish sticks and cream of chicken soup were my childhood staples since I created a blog entry about them. On the contrary, these Memorable Dishes were special treats from my mom when she didn’t have time to make the multiple dishes that comprise every Chinese meal.

In Hong Kong, my mom worked full time and took care of my older brother and me at the time. Most people in Hong Kong do not own a car because it’s fairly expensive to maintain. Plus, the public transit system is amazing. Having said that, my mother still had to travel from one end of of the city to get to work and home by public transit. Everyday she would finish work, go to the market and buy fresh ingredients to cook us dinner. She did that EVERY evening. I don’t know how she did it because I can’t imagine anyone going to the market everyday on top of going to work full time. Not only did she cook us fresh meals every day, she cooked us several dishes including a soup. We always had fish, a meat dish, a vegetable dish, and steamed rice of course.

So every now and then when she was crunched for time, she would take shortcuts like every mom who tries to keep her sanity. When she didn’t have time to get fresh fish, she would bake us frozen fish sticks. I got super excited every time we got to eat this. I know it’s fried and frozen and not particularly healthy. But as a kid, we didn’t know that and it was such a special treat just to have fish sticks!

When she didn’t have enough time to make a soup, she would make a can of cream of chicken soup for us. Cream of mushroom soup either wasn’t available or not as popular as cream of chicken soup in Hong Kong at the time. Of course, I was also super excited about the cream of chicken soup too. My mom didn’t really whisk the soup until it was all smooth and creamy. So the soup would have pockets of creamy chunks which I liked drinking and smashing in my mouth.

This is to all moms out there – give yourself some slack! Don’t stress if you must make your kids frozen and processed foods from time to time. Even my full-time working mom who made dishes from scratch every evening took short cuts when she needed to 🙂

Posted in: Appetizer, Main Course, Seafood, Soup , Tagged: cream soup, dinner shortcut, fish

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

October 19, 2015 7:17 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

I am beginning to enjoy this time of year. I used to dread the Fall season because the weather gets cooler and summer clothes and flip flops get put away. Now when the leaves turn orange, brown and red, I think of eating warm and nourishing foods. I love that the colours of the vegetables in season also resemble the colours of the leaves.

Butternut squashes and other types of squashes dominate the grocery store this time of year. It’s hard not to buy them and make something out of them. The kids really enjoy this Memorable Dish, but this wasn’t always the case. They were used to drinking Chinese cleansing soup which is clear, so drinking this thick soup was weird to them. Now that they’re older and their taste has evolved, they are embracing this mushy soup. I make different versions of this soup and my oldest son really likes it with cumin added in.

I have tried roasting the butternut squash with the peel on, but the results are better if you peel it first. If you leave the peel on, the flavour gets left behind on the peel. Since you scoop the flesh out after roasting, the caramelization is left on the peel where the flavour is. To give this soup extra oomph, I tossed in a few garlic cloves to roast with the squash.

This is one of the recipes that you can’t really screw up and can make on the fly with a few ingredients on hand. If you want to sauté some onions and carrots, feel free to do so. I make this soup different every time and everyone always loves it! Enjoy this super easy (except for the peeling of the butternut squash part :P) and delicious Memorable Dish while the squashes are in season.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

1 Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
5 cloves of Garlic, peeled
Olive Oil
4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1/2 tsp Cumin
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place butternut squash and garlic on roasting pan and put enough olive oil to coat everything. Toss and make sure all the pieces are coated.
Roast butternut squash and garlic for 20-30 minutes.
Flip them around with a spatula and roast for another 20-30 minutes or until brown.
In a pot, put the roasted butternut squash, garlic, cumin and stock.
Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
Bring the puréed soup to a boil.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Then drizzle olive oil on top if desired.

Notes

Use more or less broth depending on the consistency you like or the size of your butternut squash.

https://www.memorabledishes.com/roasted-butternut-squash-soup/

Recipe by Memorable Dishes | www.memorabledishes.com

Posted in: Appetizer, Main Course, Soup, Vegetables , Tagged: butternut squash, roasted garlic, soup

Ramen Noodles

October 5, 2015 8:02 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

As the weather is getting cooler, I crave for a bowl of hot ramen noodles. Ramen noodles – not the fancy kind you eat at Japanese restaurants where they brew the broth with pork bone and meat for hours. But the instant kind. Every Asian household always has instant ramen noodles stocked up in their pantry at all times. Thus, instant ramen noodles should be a Memorable Dish for all Asians.

Instant ramen noodles is a comfort food to many Asians growing up. We know it’s not the healthiest thing on earth but we just love it. Asians don’t just eat the plain ramen noodles right out of a package but have extra add-ons to make the noodles extra yummy. Plus, if you are making them for your friends and family, it creates the illusion that you made some effort in cooking this dish and not just boiling instant noodles.

I personally blanch the noodles and rinse it with cold water and then reheat the noodles with the broth. If you don’t want to do that, just cook the ramen according to the package. I happen to have some of my homemade leftover Chinese BBQ Pork so I put that, veggies and a fried egg as my toppings. Put your favourite ingredients on your ramen and enjoy!

Ramen Noodles

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Serving Size: 1

Ingredients

1 pack instant Ramen
Slices of leftover or fresh meat (chicken, beef, pork, etc.)
Fresh Vegetables
Fried Egg
Slices of Scallions (optional)

Preparation

Boil the ramen according to the package.
Top with cooked meat, vegetables, fried egg, scallions or any desired topping.
Eat and enjoy!

https://www.memorabledishes.com/ramen-noodles/

Recipe by Memorable Dishes | www.memorabledishes.com

Posted in: Main Course, Noodles, Soup , Tagged: noodles, pork, soup

Wonton Soup

July 20, 2015 6:58 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

I believe in most Cantonese Chinese households, girls (and possibly some boys) grow up helping their moms make wontons. I remember making wontons as a kid growing up. I love making wontons! It’s so therapeutic, almost as therapeutic as cleaning squids (or maybe it’s just me 😉

We would sit around the table with a big bowl of meat mixture made up of ground pork and shrimp wrapping away. The inexperienced ones (usually the younger kids) would stuff too much mixture into the wrapper causing the wontons to burst. We always thought there wasn’t enough meat in there. We forgot we still had to close the wrapper after putting the meat in.

If you have witnessed professionals wrapping wontons, it’s like watching a Chinese Speedy Gonzales. You see the beginning and before you know it, it’s finished. Everything in between is a big blur. If there was a video camera to capture this action, it would go something like this (imagine viewing this in slow motion.) Wonton wrapper in hand. The other hand scoops the meat mixture with a knife or chopsticks. Then fast as lightning, smears the meat gingerly onto the wrapper. As soon as the meat mixture leaves the knife or chopsticks, the hand holding the wrapper closes and at the same time pinches the wonton shut.

The people in our family, of course, are not professional wonton wrappers. We would do it at normal speed and sometimes break the wrapper with too much meat or not handling the wrappers delicately enough. It took me about 45 minutes to wrap the whole package of wontons by myself. (You can easily speed up the wonton-wrapping process by recruiting other members of your family or friends.) However, this Memorable Dish tastes so much better than the professional ones because it’s made with love. You can serve wontons by themselves with soup or noodles added.

Wonton Soup

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 pound of Ground Pork
1/2 pound of Shrimp, cut into small pieces
2 tsp of low sodium Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Cornstarch
1/8 tsp White Pepper
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tbsp Water
1 egg
1 package of Wonton Wrappers (small thin ones)
6 to 8 cups Chicken Broth (if you’re serving noodles with it, you’ll need more)
1-2 stalks of Scallions, diced
Small bowl of Water for sealing wontons
Water for boiling wontons

Preparation

Mix the ground pork, shrimp, soy sauce, salt, sugar, cornstarch, white pepper, sesame oil, water and egg in a big bowl.
Place a sheet of wonton wrapper on the palm of your hand.
Scoop about 1 teaspoon of meat mixture onto the wrapper.
Lightly wet the edges of the wrapper with a bit of water with your finger.
Close the wonton wrapper by lining up one of the corner to the other, creating a triangle. Then bunch the other corners to the middle creating a small pouch.
Fill your large pot 3/4 full of water and bring it to a boil.
Put the wontons to boil a few batches at a time. Be sure not to overcrowd them.
Once the wontons float to the top (approximately 3 minutes), they are done. Use a slotted spoon and scoop them out. Finish boiling the rest of the wontons. Set aside.
Bring the chicken broth to a boil.
Place the wontons in a bowl and put hot chicken broth on top. Garnish with scallions.
You can also serve the wontons with noodles. Prepare noodles according to package. Place noodles in a bowl, top with wontons. Scoop hot broth over it and garnish with scallions.

Notes

Note #1: Sometimes the wrappers stick together, be careful not to tear them.

Note #2: You can make the wontons ahead or make extras and freeze them on a tray. Put them into bags after they’re frozen. You don’t need to defrost them when boiling. Just boil them a little longer since they are frozen.

https://www.memorabledishes.com/wonton-soup/

Recipe by Memorable Dishes | www.memorabledishes.com

Posted in: Main Course, Pork, Snack, Soup , Tagged: soup, wonton

Imitation Shark Fin Soup (碗仔翅)

June 1, 2015 7:28 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

Even before it was politically incorrect to eat shark fin soup, I’ve always liked the fake version better. Maybe it was the extra MSG or maybe I was super hungry. But this is one of my favourite Memorable Dishes eaten on the streets of Hong Kong as a child. My older brother and I ate this on the streets after swimming. The street vendor had his (probably unlicensed) cart outside of the public swimming pool waiting for hungry post-swimming patrons. He definitely knew who his target audience was! I, like everyone else gets super famished after swimming, that’s why the street imitation shark fin soup was especially tasty and delicious.

When I found this hawker (street vendor) Memorable Dish at T&T (Chinese grocery store chain in Canada), I couldn’t believe it! I hadn’t eaten this soup in so long and when I discovered it, I was super ecstatic. It was still piping hot from its container when I brought it home. I devoured it and thought of my famished self after swimming in Hong Kong when I was little.

When researching for this recipe, I found a couple of versions. One where they use crab meat and store-bought imitation shark fin and another where shredded chicken, pork, and cellophane noodles are used. I adapted my recipe from both of these versions.

Eating this Memorable Dish brought back vivid memories of when my dad took my older brother and I swimming. Every time we went swimming, I looked forward to eating this hot soup filled with yummy goodness. After rediscovering this dish at the supermarket, I knew it wasn’t just about childhood memories. I genuinely enjoyed this dish! The texture of the crunchy black fungus and the meaty goodness soup warms up my mouth and enters into my soul.

Imitation Shark Fin Soup (碗仔翅)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup Imitation Shark Fin or Cellophane Noodles
1 1/2 cup poached Chicken Breast, shredded
1 1/2 cup poached Lean Pork, shredded
1 cup reconstituted Dried Black Fungus (木耳) thinly sliced (see Note #1)
1 cup canned Bamboo Shoots (strips)
1 Egg
6 cups Chicken Broth
Cornstarch Solution (combine 2 tbsp cornstarch with 4 tbsp water)
¼ cup Soy Sauce
Salt to taste
Dash of White Pepper
Dash of Black Vinegar
Coriander or sliced green onions for garnish (optional)

Preparation

If you are able to find imitation shark fins, blanch them by pouring boiling water over it and leaving it covered for about 5 minutes. Discard water, drain the fins and set aside.
Bring chicken broth to boil in a pot. Add sliced black fungus and bamboo shoots, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add chicken, pork and blanched shark fins (if using). Bring to a simmer for another 3 minutes.
If using cellophane noodles only, put them at the very end because it cooks super quick.
Before using cornstarch solution, stir again to dissolve mixture. Slowly pour in the cornstarch solution while stirring until you reach the consistency desired. Add soy sauce and season with salt to taste.
Lastly, slowly pour beaten egg to the soup mixture. Turn off heat.
Dish the soup into serving bowls. Garnish with coriander or sliced green onions (if using). Put dash of white pepper and black vinegar to taste.

Notes

Note #1: Use approximately 4 medium size black fungus. It really depends on how big your black fungus is. Soak the black fungus in hot water to soften. Cut around and discard the hard part. Then slice the fungus into thin strips. If you are unable to find black fungus or don’t want to use them, you can use shiitake mushrooms instead. The texture will be different since black fungus is crunchy and the shiitake mushrooms are soft.

Note #2: Poach the chicken and pork in water and you can use the poaching liquid as part of your broth.

Note #3: For thicker soup, add more cornstarch solution. For a thinner soup, don’t add as much solution.

https://www.memorabledishes.com/imitation-shark-fin-soup/

Recipe by Memorable Dishes | www.memorabledishes.com

Posted in: Appetizer, Chicken, Main Course, Pork, Snack, Soup, Vegetables , Tagged: bamboo shoots, black fungus, chicken, pork, soup, street food

Circle of Food – Peking Duck Noodle Soup

May 10, 2015 8:38 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

My kids love eating at food courts inside of Chinese malls. I guess they love eating in any food court for that matter. They get very excited because it’s a treat and there are lots of places to choose from. What makes the Chinese food courts unique is the fact that they are all individually-owned. It’s a nice break from the franchised restaurants that we are used to at regular malls. It almost feels like we are eating on the streets filled with different food vendors, but in an enclosed and comfortable seating environment.

We often order dishes from different shops so we get to try everything. Since being a parent with young kids, I’ve ordered foods that the kids would eat, but not necessarily what I like to eat. Just the other evening, I went to the Chinese food court with my kids and my mom. As always, I ordered something the kids wanted to eat – fried noodles. I didn’t really want that but ordered it anyways. My mom ended up ordering what I normally like to eat – Peking Duck Noodle Soup. Maybe she wanted to eat that but I got a feeling she ordered it because of me 🙂

This brought back memories of when my mom and I were on a plane ride flying to Hong Kong. I loved that you got to choose between Western or Chinese entrées. For breakfast, there was a choice between congee or omelette. I ordered the omelette and my mom ordered the congee. I took a bite of the omelette and didn’t like it. Without a second thought, my mom gave me her congee. (Just so you know, I was a full-grown adult when it happened). I just voiced my dislike for the omelette and she gave me the congee right away!

I do the same for the kids now. I eat their food when they don’t finish it or I trade with them if they don’t like something. It’s like the circle of life or what I’d like to call – the circle of food. Parents always put their kids’ needs first no matter how old they are.

Just so you know, I have not attempted to make Peking duck at home. Even if I did, it would not taste the same as the ones you’d find at your typical Chinese BBQ shop. The method, technique, equipment and all that is involved in making a Peking duck is an art form. You can find Peking ducks sold at Chinese BBQ shops, Chinese restaurants that specialize in BBQ, or at select Chinese grocery stores. Once you buy your Peking duck, this dish is super easy to prepare and very comforting to eat.

Peking Duck Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

1/2 Roasted Peking Duck*
1 package of Jiang Xi Rice Vermicelli
8 small stalks of Shanghai Bok Choy (Wash and cut in half.)
5 cups of homemade Chicken Stock or store-bought Chicken Broth
2 slices of Ginger
2 cloves of whole Garlic
2 stalks of Green Onion (Use the white part to infuse the broth and thinly slice the green parts as garnish.)
*You can buy ½ or whole roasted Peking ducks at Chinese BBQ shops. Don’t forget to ask for extra plum sauce.

Preparation

Boil the vermicelli based on the instructions found on the package.
Drain the vermicelli into a colander and rinse it with cold water.
Put ginger, garlic, white parts of the green onion into the stock/broth and bring it to a boil. (You can take them out after the broth has been infused with these flavours.)
Once the broth is boiled, add the Shanghai bok choy and boil for a minute or so.
Then add the cooked vermicelli.
Once the broth is boiling again. Turn off heat.
Divide up the noodles and bok choy into bowls. Top with broth and sprinkle sliced green onions on the top.
You can place the Peking duck on top of the noodles or you can place them on the side.

Notes

Note #1: If you cannot find Jiang Xi Rice Vermicelli, use whatever rice vermicelli is available at your grocery store. Alternatively, you can always use any type of egg noodles as well.

Note #2: From my package of Jiang Xi Rice Vermicelli, it says to cook for 6-8 minutes. I have to cook them for 10-12 minutes for them to be al dente to soft. Test them out before draining the vermicelli to get the right consistency.

Note #3: If you cannot find Shanghai bok choy, you can use baby bok choy or any type of vegetable that you like.

https://www.memorabledishes.com/peking-duck-noodle-soup/

Recipe by Memorable Dishes | www.memorabledishes.com

Jiang Xi Rice Vermicelli

Posted in: Main Course, Noodles, Poultry, Soup , Tagged: duck, noodles, soup

Macaroni Soup with Ham

April 27, 2015 6:36 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

I love Macaroni Soup. My mom used to make it for us when we were kids. I don’t quite recall but I think she used to make it specifically when we were sick. But it was definitely a favourite childhood Memorable Dish of mine. I used to suck on the macaroni tube when it was in my mouth to drink the soup that was trapped in there. What am I saying? I still do it now! I just remember having a lot of fun eating it.

I did a little research and have come to realize that this is a Hong Kong-Western style dish! I thought everyone grew up eating this. In Hong Kong, Macaroni soup with ham is usually eaten for breakfast or lunch. When my kids are sick, the first thing I think of making them is macaroni soup. It’s easy to make, brothy, warm and so yummy to eat.

This is a great alternative to macaroni cheese and a great dish to make for the kiddies. It covers all the basic food groups – carbs, proteins and veggies. I’m sure this Memorable Dish will please children anywhere!

It’s super easy to make when you have everything on hand. It makes a great one-dish meal for children and adults alike. Have this Memorable Dish for breakfast and pretend you are at a Hong Kong-Western style café!