Vegan Hot & Sour Noodle Soup

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

• 800ml mushroom stock
• 300g cooked rice noodles
• 200g firm tofu
• 150g shiitake mushrooms
• 100g spring greens
• 4 spring onions
• 2 bell peppers
• A handful of bean sprouts
• A thumb of ginger
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 red chillis
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp tamari
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp chinese five spice
• A drizzle of sesame oil
• A pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Method:

• Begin by pre-heating the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
• Line a large tray with baking paper and set to one side
• Drain and lightly press the tofu to remove the excess water. Chop in to bite size pieces
• Add the tofu to a bowl along with a little sesame oil, a pinch of sea salt and a pinch of black pepper. Toss together
• Place the tofu on the lined baking tray. Put the tray in the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy
• While the tofu is baking, prepare the soup. Finely chop the mushrooms and peppers. Add the mushrooms and peppers to a large pan along with a generous drizzle of sesame oil. Saute on a low heat for around 5 minutes
• Finely grate or chop the garlic, chilli and ginger. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger to the pan
• Stir to combine then saute for 5 minutes
• Finely chop the spring greens and spring onions. Add the spring greens and spring onions to the pan along with a handful of bean sprouts
• Stir to combine then saute for a further 5 minutes
• Add the mushroom stock, rice vinegar, tamari, sugar and chinese five spice. Stir to combine then simmer on a medium heat until the mushrooms are soft
• Remove the tofu from the oven and transfer to the soup along with the cooked rice noodles
• Stir to combine, season to taste then serve

This recipe serves 4.