Description
This broth is far too easy to make. I make it when I feel bloated or have spent a few days prior over-eating. It acts as a winter cleanse as it is free from both dairy and carbohydrates and very comforting. If you like noodles but are either trying to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you intake or trying to increase the amount of fibre you intake, konyak noodles deserve your attention. They have the texture of rice or glass noodles, but are 0 calorie, carbohydrate free, and essentially a pure fibre ingredient. They come in a number of varieties, the noodle variety is usually white, but you’ll also find the speckled grey variety in large or small blocks, for adding to stir-fries or broths. Easy to find in Asian supermarkets, but not necessarily outside of Europe, although it is becoming more and more known in health food circles. In Japan, it is often used as a main ingredient of the common broth oden (おでん) as well as sugar-free jelly sweets because of its gelatinous texture. I make this high-fibre low-carb broth in order to restore my stomach health in no time. The oyster mushrooms and leafy greens are also light on the stomach, and oyster mushrooms themselves, a high source of protein, so it’s a complete vegan dish too. The seasoning (fresh garlic, fresh ginger, angelica root, goji berries, soya sauce) provide a lot of typical Chinese-style flavour. The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) root, angelica root (dāngguī, 当归), also known as ‘the female’s ginseng’, acts as an energy booster and adds a warming earthy flavour, as does ginseng (rénshēn, 人身). This recipe serves 2.
Preparation Time
15 minutes
Ingredients
Asian leafy greens (i.e. choy sum, water spinach, Chinese kale), a handful
Konyak noodles, 3-5 bundles
Large oyster mushrooms, 2
Water, 500ml
Soya sauce, 2 tbsp
Fresh ginger, minced, a nob or two
Vegetable stock, 1 cube (I like Kallo best or I make my own)
Dried angelica root, 1 piece
Garlic cloves, minced, 2
Goji berries, a few
Ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
1. Add the minced ginger, minced garlic, angelica root, vegetable stock (cube or homemade), goji berries, soya sauce to a saucepan of water and bring to boil.
2. Add the konyak noodle bundles and boil for 5 more minutes.
3. Slice the oyster mushrooms lengthwise, and add to the broth to boil for another 5 minutes.
4. Chop the leafy greens of your choice and place at the base of the bowls.
5. Taste the broth and add more seasoning if you wish, if not, take off the heat and pour into the bowls on top of the leafy greens, allowing them to cook gently from the hot broth before serving.
Optional
Add a splash more of soya sauce to flavour the broth. You could also add Tamari for added flavour, but be aware that it contains small amount of sugar.
