Description
A quick and flavorful Chinese Vegetable Soup that’s light, low calorie, and packed with fresh vegetables and aromatic spices. Ready in just 15 minutes, this comforting soup combines fragrant broth infused with garlic, ginger, and star anise, tender Chinese broccoli, carrots, and delicate enoki mushrooms, topped with fresh herbs and crispy shallots for a deliciously satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth Ingredients
- 1 litre / 4 cups chicken stock/broth, low sodium
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1.5 cm / 1/2″ piece ginger, cut into 5 thin slices (optional but highly recommended)
- 1 star anise (optional)
- 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce or all purpose soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar (any type)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
Vegetables & Garnishes
- 4 – 6 stems Chinese broccoli or bok choy, stems and leaves sliced and separated
- 1 small carrot, peeled, cut in half lengthways and finely sliced on the diagonal
- 75g / 2.5 oz enoki mushrooms or other mushrooms sliced or quartered
- 1/2 cup coriander/cilantro sprigs/leaves, lightly packed (or Thai basil, mint, chives)
- 1 green onion, green part only finely sliced
- 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots (store-bought)
- Chilli crisp, chilli sauce or sriracha (optional)
- Optional garnishes: sesame seeds, sliced chilli, Thai basil
Instructions
- Prepare Infused Broth: Place the chicken stock, garlic cloves, ginger slices, star anise, soy sauce, sugar, Chinese cooking wine, and toasted sesame oil (if using) into a large saucepan. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer over high heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to the lowest setting and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse deeply into the broth while you chop the vegetables.
- Cook the Vegetables: Increase the heat back to high to bring the broth to a rapid simmer. Add the carrot slices, Chinese broccoli stems, and enoki mushrooms to the broth. Cook for 3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Then add the Chinese broccoli leaves, pushing them gently into the liquid, and simmer for an additional 2 minutes until the leaves are wilted but still vibrant.
- Serve the Soup: Carefully remove and discard the garlic and ginger pieces from the soup. Divide the soup between 2 bowls. Top each bowl with a generous mound of coriander or cilantro leaves, sprinkle with sliced green onions, and shower with crispy fried shallots. Add a dollop of chili crisp, sriracha, or chili sauce as preferred. Optionally, garnish with sesame seeds, sliced chili, or Thai basil. Serve immediately and enjoy this light, comforting soup.
Notes
- Use low sodium chicken broth to control salt levels.
- The ginger and star anise are optional but add a wonderful depth of flavor.
- Chinese cooking wine enhances the broth’s savory profile, but it can be omitted if necessary.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit Chinese cooking wine or use a vegetarian alternative.
- To chop Chinese broccoli, separate the stems and leaves, slicing stems into 1-2 cm pieces and leaves roughly into bite-sized pieces.
- Crispy fried shallots can be purchased at Asian grocery stores or made at home for added crunch and flavor.
- Enoki mushrooms add a noodle-like texture, but you can substitute with shiitake, button, or oyster mushrooms if preferred.
- Add chili sauces according to your desired spice level for a customizable heat boost.
