Chinese soup base

Very happy to have finally produced a more-ish Chinese soup base. Chinese clear soups usually have quite a subtle soup base that sets off all the delicious goodies floating around in it (like noodles, wontons, thin slices of mock duck, pak choi, carrots etc). It's not like Vietnamese pho or Thai tom yam soup, but it shouldn't taste of nothing either. In fact, the subtlety is something I've found quite difficult to recreate at home, especially without MSG. I usually end up putting in too much of something, it really requires a bit of patience - a little of this, a little of that, till you get something you like.

First you want a nice simmering pot of stock. Then add some Chinese five spice and some thinly sliced ginger root and shallots. Add a little soya sauce (I used dark mushroom soy, which makes the soup darker but adds a nice depth), some sesame oil and a small squirt of sriracha - you don't want it spicy (or just some chilli flakes if you don't have it, but you might need a little of something acidic as well). Taste and add salt and more of any of the other stuff if needed. When you've got your soup base delicious, add noodles, wontons, pak choi, sliced carrots, etc. Today I chucked in cooked rice and brown lentils, carrots and pak choi. Cook till everything is tender. To serve, top with thinly sliced shallots and garlic, lightly fried together.

Edamame polenta cake with fried tomatoes and herbed yoghurt dressing

This was inspired by a delicious lunch served at a conference I attended recently at Handels Högskolan in Gothenburg. As a vegan I wasn't sure what to expect - some conferences I've been to have had an entirely vegan buffet for all guests, while others have offered non-meat eaters simply a pile of unadulterated chick peas. This lunch was catered by the restaurant there, and I was pleasantly surprised when the staff handed everybody with dietary requirements (nut-free, vegan, gluten-free) a plate of perfectly prepared polenta studded with edamame beans. This was topped with fried tomato slices and fresh herbs.

Here is my recreation, with the addition of herbed yoghurt dressing:

1) Prepare polenta according to instructions on the package, using a good amount of stock and adding dried or fresh herbs if desired - I used thyme and oregano. (Sometimes I prepare my polenta fairly bland, if I'm using it as a base for spicy sauces. Here you want it to taste good on its own. No stocks are created equal, but I used 1.5 cubes in about as many litres of water.) About 10 mins before the end, add edamame beans. Not too many, you just want enough to stud the polenta and provide some protein. I used about 1.5 cups.

2) When polenta is done, pour into a lightly oiled casserole dish and leave to set (in the fridge once cooled enough). Can do this overnight.

3) Prep your herbed yoghurt dressing. This is in no way an exact science - pretty much just bung nice tasting things in thick soy yoghurt and you'll be good. We added what we had on hand: fresh dill, some chilli flakes, a little mustard and minced garlic.

4) Now fry your polenta. Cut into the set polenta into squares and fry each side in a little oil over medium high heat. Polenta can be a bit tricky to fry, so maybe have a go on a practice piece first. The golden rule is to have a high enough heat that it doesn't just go soggy (it should sizzle when it hits the pan), and you want to let it sit long enough to develop a proper crust, so don't try flipping it too early. I think Isa's instructions for frying tofu apply here too.

5) Top the fried polenta slices with fried/seared tomato slices and the yoghurt dressing. Serve with salad for a bright, delicious and reasonably healthy lunch.