Recipe- Healthy And Vegetarian Dan Dan Noddle Soup

This Dan Dan Noodle Soup is a flavour explosion in a bowl, healthy (< 300 cal) and you’ll have it on the table in just over 10 minutes. The soup is thicker than the usual clear noodle soups, and the creamy colour is from the sesame paste (or tahini) and chilli paste. Traditionally it is made topped with stir fried pork, but today I’m sharing a meat free version which is my favourite way of making it it’s faster and healthier. But just as tasty – a truly authentic flavour. A perfect midweek meal!

Ingredients

400 g dried rice stick noodles

Stock

4 cups (32 oz/1 litre) vegetable or chicken stock (broth)
5 cups water
3 large garlic cloves , minced
2 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp sugar

Stock Sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp cornflour / corn starch
2 Tbsp sesame paste or tahini
4 tbsp black vinegar
2 tsp chilli bean sauce (or substitute with another chilli paste or sauce). Adjust to taste!
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Toppings

2 medium carrots , peeled and sliced diagonally
4 bok choy
2 cups broccoli florets

Garnish

1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
1 scallion / shallot , chopped

Method

- Combine stock ingredients in a large pot and bring to boil.

- Meanwhile, mix the Stock Sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and cut all the vegetables into bite size pieces.

- Add the Stock Sauce and mix well to dissolve into the soup. Adjust seasoning as required.

- When the stock comes to a boil, place rice stick noodles in the stock, then 1 minute later add the carrots and broccoli, then 1 minute later remove from heat and add the bok choy stems.

- Divide the noodles and vegetables between bowls, top with the bok choy leaves and bean sprouts.

- Ladle soup into bowls over the vegetables and noodles, and garnish with spring onions.

- Optional: finish with chilli oil and more chilli paste - if you can handle the heat!