Cooking time:

13 minutes

Preparation time:

10 minutes

Makes:

2 servings

Ingredients

• 900-mL  carton vegetable or chicken broth, about 3 1/2 cups (875 mL)
• 1  cinnamon stick
• 1  thin slice ginger
• 1  star anise (optional)
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each granulated sugar and hot chili-garlic sauce
• 1/2  of a 350-g pkg extra-firm tofu or 1 cup (250 mL) chopped cooked chicken
• 2 cups (500 mL) sliced shiitake or button mushrooms
•  Bundle of thin rice vermicelli noodles, about 1 in. (2.5 cm) thick
• 2  green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) shredded mint or basil
•  Handful of bean sprouts (optional)
• 1  lime

Our easy take on this classic Vietnamese comfort soup features a ginger-scented broth and lots of satiny noodles. Fresh mint livens up the dish.

Instructions

• Pour broth into large saucepan set over high heat. Add cinnamon, ginger, anise, sugar and chili-garlic sauce. Bring to a boil. Then simmer over medium-low until flavourful, 5 to 10 min. Remove and discard cinnamon, anise and ginger.
• Meanwhile, cut tofu into cubes. Remove and discard shiitake stems. Slice mushrooms. Oil a large frying pan and set over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and tofu. Stir often until tofu is golden around edges, 5 min. Add to broth. If using chicken, add now. Bring to a boil, then stir in noodles, separating as you add. Boil gently, stirring often, until noodles are tender, 3 to 5 min. Stir in onions and mint, then ladle into soup bowls. Top with bean sprouts and serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition (per Serving)

protein

16 g

fat

6 g

carbohydrates

41 g

fibre

4 g

calcium

156 mg

calories

245