In case you haven’t noticed, it’s soup weather out there. Or possibly if you are like me, you appreciate soup any time of the year. So, this is one of those soups that can and should be served year-round. Why? Because it’s delicious and its Asian inspired.

And best of all, it uses common ingredients and it’s nutritious. And isn’t that a nice combination!

So, for those of you who love a good Asian soup that is easy to fix and has lots of flavor, this is the recipe for you.

Well, that’s it for now. I am busy booking our next overseas adventure. And as many of you know, finding the exact right flight and the perfect accommodation in each of the places you plan to visit takes hours of research. And although I am pretty good at searching the internet, there are just those times when I would rather hit my head with a wooden cooking utensil than read the details of even one more small boutique hotel. (And that, my friends, is where you find me right now!)

Anyway, make this soup. Soup is the original one-pot wonder!

And no, if you don’t like tofu, you don’t have to add it to the soup. And if you don’t like fried tofu, you don’t have to fry it. Just chunk it up. But I really recommend frying the tofu. It’s yum.

And on that fine dining note, peace and love to all.       

For the Fried Tofu:

1 pkg. (4.5 oz.) firm or extra-firm tofu

1 T. soy sauce

2 T. cornstarch  

½ tsp. granulated garlic  

2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil

Press the tofu by wrapping it in paper towels (or a clean dry tea towel). Place a plate or pan on top of the wrapped tofu and put a couple of heavy books or cast-iron pan on top of that. Let the tofu press for 30 minutes to an hour.  

Cut the pressed tofu into 1-inch cubes. Combine the soy sauce, cornstarch, and granulated garlic and add the tofu cubes. Stir gently to not rip the tofu.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil so it coats the bottom of the pan.

Once the oil is hot, add the tofu in a single layer (you might need to do this in batches, depending on how big your pan is). Let the tofu brown on all sides. It should be a nice golden color all over. (I use a fork to gently flip each piece over. TIP: When you place the layer of tofu in the pan, don’t touch or move it at all for a few minutes, so a crust can form, making it easier to flip without ripping. Carefully remove to a plate and set aside.

For the soup:

½ c. dried mushrooms, broken into small pieces (shiitake are best)  

½ c. boiling water

1½ T. extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1½ inches ginger, finely chopped

tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes

3 T. soy sauce

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

6 c. vegetable broth

½ c. finely chopped cooked beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, etc.

1½ c. chopped fresh spinach

2 c. dry rice noodles, cooked in a separate pot 

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2-3 tsp. sesame oil, or more to taste 

Soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl with hot water for 5 minutes, then squeeze them as dry as possible. Set aside. Reserve the soaking water for later.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes. Fry on low heat for one minute.

Add dried mushrooms, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add vegetable broth and the reserved soaking water from dried mushrooms and bring to a boil.

Add cutup meat or seafood, fried tofu, fresh spinach, and cooked rice noodles. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in the green onions and sesame oil. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning.