Black bean soup with soba

How to make black bean soup with soba recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 8 minutes

Ingredients:
200 g (7 oz) dried soba noodles
2 tablespoons groundnut or vegetable oil
1 bunch of spring onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced
3.5 cm (1½ inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
125 ml (4 fl oz) black bean sauce or black bean stir-fry sauce
750 ml (1¼ pints) vegetable stock
200 g (7 oz) pak choi or spring greens, shredded
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon caster sugar
50 g (2 oz) raw peanuts (preferably unsalted)

Method:
Cook the noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes or according to the packet instructions until just tender.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan, add the spring onions and garlic and fry gently for 1 minute. Add the chilli, ginger, black bean sauce and stock and bring to the boil. Stir in the pak choi or spring greens, soy sauce, sugar and peanuts, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 4 minutes.

Drain the noodles, rinse with fresh hot water and spoon into 4 warmed soup bowls. Ladle the soup over the top and serve immediately.

For Chinese chicken & black bean soup, cook the noodles as above. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan, add 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into small chunks, and fry for 4–5 minutes or until cooked through.

Add the spring onions and garlic and continue as above, replacing the vegetable stock with 750 ml (1¼ pints) chicken stock and omitting the peanuts.

Black bean soup with soba