As the chilly autumn breeze sets in, nothing beats a steaming hot bowl of Shanghai Home-Style Noodle Soup. This heartwarming dish, once created out of necessity, is now a beloved comfort food that you can easily whip up in your own kitchen.
This is my grandmother’s method for making leftovers go further.
Just hear me out! My grandmother used to prepare this noodle soup whenever we had just enough leftovers to make a meal, usually for a small gathering or a quick lunch. Not even a standard ingredient list existed.
She threw whatever food scraps we had on hand, some water, and some noodles into a pot and cooked until it was the consistency of very watery gravy.
Not quite a “soup,” but more like a noodle “stew” or porridge. They were able to get more mileage out of inexpensive ingredients.
From Street Food To Fine Dining
Poor man’s home cooking like this Shanghai Home-Style Noodle Soup is making a comeback. Luxury restaurants in Shanghai have started serving it, but they use ingredients at odds with the dish’s humble roots.
However, I must admit that this noodle soup serves more practical purposes than just filling you up. When the broth and noodles are cooked together for longer, they become more tender, flavorful, and user-friendly. Younger children, the elderly, and those feeling under the weather will all benefit from this meal.
It’s important that I urge you to stop buying those expensive, salty, processed soups from a can. This noodle soup is simple to prepare, delicious and will warm you up on a chilly day. This Shanghai-style noodle soup freezes well, so if you make a big potful on the weekend, you’ll have plenty of tasty meals stored away for the week.
Ingredients:
- 8 oz. of pork shoulder or boneless chicken thighs (julienned)
- 2 tbsp. of water
- 1 tsp. of Shaoxing wine
- ¼ tsp. of salt
- ½ tsp. of light soy sauce
- ¼ tsp. of sesame oil
- ½ tsp. of cornstarch
- 4 oz. of dried wheat noodles
- 3 tbsp. of oil
- 5 cups of chicken and pork stock or just plain chicken stock
- 6 oz. of mushrooms (any kind works, sliced)
- 8 oz. of leafy greens (coarsely chopped)
- Salt (to taste)
- white pepper (to taste)
- 2 pcs. of scallions (chopped)
Instructions:
- Marinate the pork (or chicken thighs) in 2 tablespoons of water, 1 teaspoon of Shaoxing wine, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of light soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch for 15 minutes.
- Prepare the noodles by boiling them in water as directed on the package. Get rid of the water and put it aside. You can cut the noodles to make them easier to eat with a spoon, but it’s not required. Having the noodles pre-cooked helps keep the broth from getting too starchy.
- Get some smoke rolling in your wok or heavy-bottomed pot as you heat it. Cook the marinated meat in the 3 tablespoons of oil until it becomes opaque. Stir-fry the mushrooms for two to three minutes after they’ve been sliced.
- The noodles and stock should be combined in a large bowl. The noodles are done when they are soft and puffed up and the water has been simmered for 5 minutes after it has come to a boil.
- Finally, toss in the leafy greens and re-boil. Before serving, season with salt and white pepper to taste and top with the chopped scallion.