4cupschicken broth (preferably home made if you have some)
1tbspsoy sauce (or a bit more to taste)
2tsprice vinegar(don't substitute with red wine vinegar - I made this mistake once)
250gUdon noodles (you can have more noodles if you like)(see blog post for substitutes)
1cupshiitake mushrooms, sliced
4baby pack choi, sliced length-ways (aka Bok choy)if you can't find baby pak choi, just use normal size and cut the stalks into smaller pieces.
1onion, small-medium sized, sliced thinly
Marinaded eggs
4eggs
1/4cuplow sodium soy sauce
1/4 cuprice vinegar
3/4cupwater
Optional toppings
1sliced spring onion
fresh coriander, chopped
chilli garlic sauce or oil
bean sprouts
Instructions
Marinaded eggs (optional)
**you can choose just to boil the eggs as per below instructions and not marinade them if you want a no fuss and easy meal. You will simply set aside after you've peeled them until you 'build' your final soup**
Place eggs in a pot, cover with water and bring to the boil over a medium heatBring to a boil over moderate heat, then turn the heat down so it's not boiling and cook for 7 minutes
While the eggs are cooking, put cold water into a bowl (with ice if you have any) so you can place the eggs gently into the cold water once they are down.Leave them in the cold water for 3 - 5 mins. This is so you can easily peel them.
In another bowl add the low sodium soy, rice vinegar, water and after you've peeled the eggs, place them in this mix. Add more water of the eggs aren't covered fully.Leave for 2 - 3 hours or even so the night before.
Pork Belly
In a frying pan, add vegetable oil and sear the pork belly on all sides until a golden crust forms.Then remove from the frying pan, slice thinly and set to the side.
Broth
In a large pan, over medium heat add the sesame oil, onions, garlic, ginger and chilli garlic sauce and saute for 2 minutes or until the onion is soft.Add the chicken stock, soy sauce and rice vinegar and bring to a simmer.
Next add you udon noodles and shiitake mushrooms and gently simmer for a few minutes. Add you pak choi last and gently simmer for another 2-3 minutes. *You want to maintain the green of their leaves so don't over cook. TIP: slice the middle thicker base of the pak choi stalk so it cooks faster or you can add the white stalk separately and then the green leaves last.Taste the broth and add more soy sauce if you need to.
Now, slice your eggs in half and in four bowls start building your soups...Divide the broth and noodles evenly, place half and egg in each, add your pork belly slices and pak choi plus any additional toppings such as sliced green onion, bean sprouts and/or dash of garlic chilli oil.
Notes
TIPS:It's all in the broth. Make sure you taste.(**Admission - the first time I did this, I messed up the broth by not following the instructions properly)Pak choiSlice the middle thicker base of the pak choi stalk so it cooks faster in the broth and doesn't lose the lovely green of the leavesorAdd the white stalk separately and then the green leaves last.