The noodle soup is thick and rich, with a savory, slightly tangy aroma.
Mom's cooking is the enduring comfort found in the simplest things, just like a bowl of thick, steaming hot soup noodles that lets us pause and rest in the most timeless of moments.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
flour to taste
For a clear broth noodle soup, use high-gluten flour; for a thicker, richer broth, use medium or low-gluten flour.
Additional Ingredients
tomatoes and leafy greens, each to taste
Seasonings
Cilantro, scallions, and garlic, each to taste
Soy sauce, salt, white pepper, and sesame oil, each to taste
Instructions
Instructions
Preparation
Step 1: Cut the tomatoes into small pieces, slice the greens into sections, and mince the scallions, garlic, and cilantro (Image 2). Prepare the dough in advance, roll it into a thin sheet, and cut it into noodles for later use (Image 3).
*Try to use homemade noodles, as they cook faster and, more importantly, help thicken the broth for a better texture. If using store-bought noodles, they tend to be firmer and won't make the soup as starchy.
Boil the noodles and tomatoes together in water until the noodles are tender and the tomatoes have softened.
Step 2: Bring a pot of water to a boil, cook the noodles for 1 minute first, then add the tomatoes and bring to a boil again (Image 4).
*Add enough water at once—preferably more than you think you need, because the longer the noodles sit, the more water they absorb, making the broth thicker; if there's no broth left, it can't be called soup noodles.
Heat oil in a wok and sauté aromatics until fragrant.
While the noodles are cooking, heat a separate large pot with a little oil over high heat, add the minced scallion and garlic, and stir-fry until golden and fragrant (Image 5). Splash in a little soy sauce to season the pan (Image 6).
The key to this noodle soup is the aromatic oil base: use high heat, fry the scallions and garlic until they are deeply browned, then add soy sauce and let it sizzle to release its fragrance. Keep the heat high throughout—once the soy sauce bursts with aroma, immediately add the noodles and broth. The "wok hei" (breath of the wok) infuses into the soup at this very moment, delivering an irresistible depth of flavor.
*If not using tomatoes, you can add a small amount of vinegar when stir-frying the aromatics, just enough for the fragrance of vinegar without any sour taste.
Step 4: Pour the noodles and broth into the wok with the aromatics (Image 7), then add a little salt and cook the greens briefly. Finally, finish with chopped cilantro, a pinch of white pepper, and a drizzle of sesame oil (Image 8).
