Posts Tagged soup
Wonton noodle soup in Hong Kong
Posted by tzuyen in Restaurant, Travel on August 6, 2011
A good noodle soup is one of the most comforting one-dish meals for me. I don’t mean cheap, artificial, dilute, overcooked noodles type. There are too many of these everywhere around the world. What I mean is a hot, flavourful and not too salty broth that taste like it was made with care and attention. Noodles firm and cooked with a bite.
This is another transcendent moment in the noodle world. Hong Kong. Wonton noodle soup. This version has a broth of pork and shark bones. Clear, umani savouriness and slightly sweet. The noodles are hand-made by the traditional method of pushing dough with a large bamboo pole. Look at this video (12:20, continues in part 2 for a few more minutes) from Anthony Bourdain’s show. It is beautiful and moving to see such art still taking place in a city that could define capitalism. The noodle has such density that it almost taste crispy as it breaks in your mouth – a texture not found in most other shops. Wontons here were also great – porky parcels made right at the shop window front.
A few left in this world
Shop front
“I am always nice when I want duck”
So says my friend from the other side of the world
I went back to Brisbane last weekend and the entree was a prawn soup.
8 large prawns peeled, shells and heads reserved
1 diced onion
2 lemon grass, bruised
5 kaffir lime leaves
1 lemon
200 ml cream
On a heavy based saucepan, cook the shells with 2 table spoons of a neutral oil like grape seed. Stir constantly to avoid burning. Deglaze with water (or vegetable stock) until the shells are covered. Add the lemon grass, onions and lime leaves. Simmer for another 20 minutes, occasionally stiring and bashing the prawn heads. Strain liquid and return to pot.
Heat up another pan and cook the prawns with a little oil and salt.
Gently boil the soup and add the cream then the juice of 1 lemon to taste. You can thicken the soup with a light roux if you want.
Serve in small ramikins with one prawn each. Garnich with a parsley leaf or very finely slices lime leaves.
Ajo blanco
Posted by tzuyen in Uncategorized on January 29, 2009
3 days above 40 degrees Celcius in Melbourne? I really feel for the people living in areas where it is frequently above 40 in summer and that air conditioning are rare additions. There is no better time than a chilled soup. I first read about it in Gourmet Traveller last year and then completely forgot about until a couple of weeks ago when I visitied Anada on Gertrude st for dinner.
Ajo blanco (white garlic) soup is a blend of:
Blanched almonds – 2 fist fulls) 2 cloves of garlic, peeled water (200 ml) white bread (1/2 slice) or some oats (a table spoon) to give it a thicker consistency olive oil (20 ml) salt sherry vinegar or lemon juiceA hand blender will be enough to break down. If the garlic taste is too strong, heat up the garlic in the olive oil in a microwave/stove gently. the garlic should sizzle but not change colour. The soup is by far the best served chilled. Either substitute some ice for water, or just chill well in advance.