Chinese Vegetable Noodle Soup

I have said it before. I am not a soup person. But then, my idea of soup has always been blitzing the hell out of beautiful tomatoes and then further slaughtering by squeezing out the liquid from the puree! But if soups can look as beautiful as this one, then I'd like to change my opinion! ;-)

I got acquainted with the idea of noodles in a soup when Radhi blogged about it. Forget the taste; I wanted to plunge into making it just for the sake of visual beauty! This is my interpretation of a Noodle Soup flavored with quintessential Chinese seasonings. Albeit a bit too spicy, every spoonful of this soup screamed Chinese!!! :-) It is just perfect for a really cool, rainy day! (I can't wait for the torrential Mumbai rains to start!) .. or any day, for that matter. Since it has so many veggies and noodles, just a little bit is quite filling!

Chinese Vegetable Noodle Soup Recipe
(a spinoff of Radhika's version)
(Print this Recipe)

Prep Time - 10 minutes
Cook Time - 10 minutes
Makes - 2 medium bowls

Ingredients
Noodles - 50 grams (1/4 cup)
Capsicum, chopped - 1/4 cup
Carrot, thinly sliced - 1/4 cup (around 1 carrot)
Cabbage, grated - 1/4 cup
Scallion / Spring onions, white part - 1 cup
Onions - 1/4 cup
Ginger, grated - 1 teaspoon
Garlic, minced - 1 teaspoon
Green chilies, sliced length wise - 2
Leaves of scallion for garnish
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
5 spice powder or Szechuan sauce - 1 teaspoon
Soy Sauce - 1 teaspoon
Vinegar - 1/2 teaspoon
Tomato Sauce - 1 tablespoon
Black Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Sugar - a pinch
Salt - 1-2 teaspoons (as per taste)
Water or Vegetable Stock - 3 cups (or more)
Oil - 1 teaspoon

Method
1. Heat oil. Add garlic, ginger & green chili.

2. When garlic starts to change color, add onions and white part of scallions (spring onions). Sauté until the onions turn light pink. Just for 1 minute.

3. Add in other vegetables (capsicum, carrot, cabbage, etc.) and mix well.

4. Add all spices: 5 spice powder, pepper powder, soy sauce, vinegar, salt & sugar.

5. Add enough water or stock to cover the vegetables and still be over the level. (for these measurements, I used 3 cups of water)

6. Add the tomato sauce and let it come to a boil.

7. Add in the noodles (roughly broken) and cook for 4-5 minutes until the noodles are done.

8. Adjust salt/sugar. Garnish with leaves of scallion/ spring onions.

Notes:
1. Use any other vegetable usually used in Chinese cuisine. Example - celery, spinach, mushrooms, broccoli etc.
2. You can skip the 5 spice powder if you don't have it. But try making it at home.
3. Go easy on pepper powder & red chili powder if you don't eat spicy food.
4. If Chinese Noodles aren't available, you could use Spaghetti too.
5. If you have stock, use it because stock gives a better taste to the soup.