I don’t know about you, but I’m approximately 93% mulled wine and crisps at this point, so I’m in desperate need for a veg-packed, healing bowl of goodness. That’s exactly what this recipe is. It’s made with a heap of fresh spinach and lots of raw garlic, ginger and chilli for an immune-system boosting kick. Use your favourite ramen noodles in vegetable or chicken flavour to make this dish, and garnish with whatever greens you have in the fridge. I like spring onions, coriander and crispy tofu, but you could have peas, broccoli, a soft-boiled egg or even prawns.
This will be the last recipe newsletter before Christmas, so I’m very happy to be leaving you all with something healing to make if the barrage of roast potatoes (although if you do want roasties, you should take a look at the festive edition of my new hosting series, Come Over) gets a bit too much. See you on the flip side, pals.
Green aromatic noodle soup with crispy tofu
Serves one
1 pack instant vegetable or chicken ramen noodles
2 garlic cloves
10g fresh ginger, roughly chopped
2 green finger chillis, one halved and seeds removed and one finely sliced
100ml coconut milk
1 tsp soy sauce
75g baby spinach
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
40g tofu, patted dry and chopped into small cubes
1 tsp cornflour
1 spring onion, finely sliced
a few fresh coriander leaves
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
a drizzle toasted sesame oil
Fill a medium-sized saucepan with 500ml water and the powder from the instant noodles. Stir and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, put the ginger, garlic, chillies, coconut milk and soy sauce in a blender and set aside.
Once boiling, add the spinach and wilt for 2-3 minutes. Using tongs, remove the spinach and place into the blender with the other ingredients, then blitz until smooth, creamy and very green. Set aside.
Place a large frying pan over a medium heat and pour in the oil. Toss the tofu with the cornflour and a pinch of salt, then once the oil is hot, tip the tofu in and fry for 3-5 minutes until golden.
Place the pan with the broth back on the heat and bring to the boil again. Add the noodles and boil for 3 minutes. Once cooked, add in the spinach and coconut mixture and stir to combine and warm through.
Tip the noodles and broth into a bowl, then serve with the tofu, spring onion, coriander, sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil.