Shiitake & noodle hot & sour soup (vegetarian)

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 24 dried shiitake or black Chinese mushrooms
• 2 carrots, cut into 4cm sticks
• 2 x 250 g cans bamboo shoots, rinsed
• 400 g package extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
• 41⁄3 cups water, divided
• 4 cups mushroom or vegetable stock
• ¼ cup white vinegar or rice vinegar
• ¼ cup red-wine vinegar
• ¼ cup reduced-salt soy sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp chilli-garlic sauce, plus more
to taste
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 cups cooked lo mein noodles
• 1 cup sliced spring onions

Method

Discard mushroom stems and cut the caps into two-cm pieces. Spread the mushroom pieces in a large slow cooker. Add carrots and bamboo shoots. Cut tofu into two-cm pieces, add to slow cooker and sprinkle with white pepper. Top with cabbage.

Combine four cups water, stock, both vinegars, soy sauce, chilli-garlic sauce and ginger in a bowl; add to the slow cooker.

Cover and cook four hours on high or seven to eight hours on low.

Whisk the remaining one third of a cup of water, corn starch and sesame oil in a bowl. Stir into the soup. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes. Stir in noodles, cover and heat through for 10 minutes. Serve topped with spring onions and more soy and chilli-garlic sauce if desired.

Browse more healthy soup recipes or connect with us on Facebook.