Asian Noodle Soup with Tofu and Shiitake with homemade vegetable stock – Gluten-free version

👨‍🍳 Method

To assemble

1. 1
   Put the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, garlic, bay leaves and thyme in a large pot with the cold water.

   Large pot

   💡Start with cold water: the vegetables release their flavor slowly as the water heats up.
2. 2
   Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam.

   Stove
3. 3
   Turn down to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered 30–45 minutes.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
4. 4
   Strain the stock through a fine sieve.

   Fine sieve
5. 5
   Heat the oil in a pot and fry the garlic, ginger and lemongrass in it 2 minutes, until fragrant.

   StovePot
6. 6
   Add the stock, gluten-free soy sauce, salt and black pepper and bring to a boil.

   Stove
7. 7
   Turn down the heat and simmer 10 minutes.

   Stove
8. 8
   Add the mushrooms, carrot and tofu and cook 10 minutes.

   Stove
9. 9
   Remove the lemongrass stalks from the stock.
10. 10
    Add the spinach leaves and cook another minute, until wilted.

    Stove
11. 11
    Sharpen the stock with the lemon juice and balance with salt to taste.
12. 12
    Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water (4¼ cups of water and a heaping teaspoon of salt for every 4 oz of pasta), following the package directions (taste about 2 minutes early), until al dente.

    StovePot

    💡The water should taste like a seasoned soup, not like sea water: a heaping teaspoon of salt per liter. Add the salt once the water is boiling.
13. 13
    Drain.

    Colander
14. 14
    Divide the noodles among the bowls and pour the boiling soup over them.

    Ladle
15. 15
    Sprinkle the green onion and sesame seeds on top.
16. 16
    Drizzle the sesame oil on top and serve immediately.