Serious Eats: Recipes
Dinner Tonight: Dumpling Noodle Soup
Some days, convenience is paramount when it comes to dinner. On the way home I picked up a package of Chinese frozen pork dumplings and, for perhaps the first time since college, a package of ramen noodles. On a cloudy November day I had visions of a rich broth with spicy scallions, ginger, tender dumplings, and handfuls of noodles. I got my wish.
The recipe for the broth could have gone a number of ways. For this soup I began with chicken stock, then added soy sauce, scallions, plus minced ginger and garlic. Another version could have begun with miso paste and dashi, or perhaps a tablespoon of fish sauce then the soy. Either way, it all comes to a boil with the vegetables (no sautéing needed), then the dumplings and the noodles are added and simmered until cooked through. After only ten minutes, your dumpling noodle soup is ready.
Dumpling Noodle Soup
- serves 4 -
Ingredients
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 scallions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and minced
10-20 dumplings, depending on size
2 packages ramen noodles (flavor doesn't matter; throw that MSG-laden packet away)
Procedure
1. Bring the broth, soy sauce, and vegetables to a boil over medium heat. Reserve some raw scallions for topping the soup.
2. Add the dumplings and/or noodles, working backwards to time them according to package directions. My dumplings went in first for about 5 minutes, then an additional 3 once the noodles were added.
3. Divide among soup bowls and top with scallions.