How do i go about it? I’ve got some pak choi (can i even use this in soup? I’m so clueless) and a medley of chinese mushrooms. I also have onions, carrots, shallots and garlic. So what do i do? What herbs/spices do i add?
A couple of provisos:
-I don’t like ginger in any form.
-I’m watching my weight.
-I have access only to what is generally available in my local supermarkets.
Suggestions, chef-like dopers?
Fran
Epicurious is a great place to find recipies. It’s the entire archive of Cooking Lite and Gourmet magazines. There is a fairly good search function that lets you put in the ingredients that you have and it will give you a recipe. You can also specify things like “Chinese” or “Low Fat.” There is an area where people can post their experiences with the recipes and rate them. Mrs. H and even I have made some great things from their recipes.
Haj
pak choy? is that the same as bok choi?
>> A couple of provisos:
You can’t count can you?
>> I don’t like ginger in any form
Sorry, that disqualifies you for anything “Chinese”
>> I’m watching my weight
Yeah? I bet you’re watching it go up.
>> I have access only to what is generally available in my local supermarkets.
Are you in China? Look, let’s simplify things, come over and I’ll take you out to a Chinese restaurant. (This offer null and void if your husband/boyfriend is a burly hunk who can easily beat the crap out of me). 
[sub]Sorry, I have nothing serious to contribute.[/sub]
Well there are a couple of ways you might go:
Saute the vegetables in a little oil with the garlic for just a minute or so, then add broth/water. (How much depends on how much you want to make.) Then simmer until the vegetables are as tender as you want them.
Season to taste with soy sauce. I would also add a dash of roasted sesame oil, if you can get it. Maybe also some white or black pepper and a bit of sugar (also to taste).
To that you could add:
Cooked noodles.
Cooked wontons or gyoza (some groceries carry frozen ones).
Cubed tofu.
Garnish with sliced scallions and/or cilantro, if you like it.
There are also some good recipes for hot and sour soup out there, if you like it. The only required seasonings are white pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil.
I love making Chinese soup! It is so easy because you can add whatever you want literally!
Here are a couple.
Simple Chicken Soup with Water Chestnuts and Mushrooms
(I modified this from A Barbara Tropp recipe but I think this will be better than the original!)
Chicken Marinade:
1 lg egg white
1 tbs Chinese rice wine or Sherry
1 tsp Kosher salt [sub](this should really be the only salt you have in your house)[/sub]
1tbs cornstarch
3/4 lb. chicken in bite sized pieces
8 cups low sodium Chicken stock with garlic, szechwan peppercorns whatever elase you like added - [sub]I like lemongrass, a little peanut oil,ginger, and a serrano chili.let this simmer for a bit, strain and cool. I make gallons of the stuff and freeze it in 2 cup chunks.[/sub]
S+P
Soup Trimmings
your mushrooms, reconstituted in cold water for several hours if dried.
1 cup Bok Choy finely slivered
1 can of water chestnuts drained and rinsed several times - I like to cut them into half moon shapes it looks nicer
1/3 cup finely shredded carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1/3 cup toasted almonds
whatever else you care to add…you can start to see the proportions? If you add a lot more stuff, maybe adfd another cup of stock. To quote the EmerIdiot “It Aint Rocket Science Folks!”
In a Bowl, whisk together the velvet marinade ingredients until thickened. Add chicken and marinate for a min. of 2-3 hours or overnight is better. Allow chicken to come to fully room temperature and toss to loosen.
Just before you eat, partially cook the chicken in gently simmering water over medium heat about a minute till the outside is white- you are looking for 90% done here.
Drain and set aside, the chicken will finish cooking in the soup.
in a non Al pot, heat up the stock and some salt to bring out the flavour of the stock. Add the mushrooms and simmer till tender. Add Chicken remove from heat and add remaining trimmings. I like my veggies nice and crisp in my soup. If you are using onions, you may want to add them before the mushrooms to soften. Bean sprouts if added should be done at the table. Drizzle a little sesame oil over and serve.
One other thing I like to add is cubed Cucumber that has been lightly salted and drained well - I love the delicate flavor with the chicken.
The sesame oil should NOT be omitted! it is there for flavor and is essential. You should only use a sparing amount as it is quite strong.
…And in case you are a vegetarian:
Silky Bean Curd Soup
This one is soooo easy!
4 cups of stock
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 lb silken tofu
2 cups Bok Choy cut into 1" pieces
2 tsp light soy - not LITE soy…ask the grocer or just use Kikkoman
2 tsp sesame oil again, make sure its in there and its Asian sesame oil not American. I ONLY use Kadoya brand in a glass bottle.
Simmer stock and add S&P, continue for 2 minutes.
cut bean curd into bite sized pieces and gently slide into broth. Dump in Bok Choy and simmer for two more minutes
Drizzle soy and sesame on top and serve
If you want to add mushrooms, I’d simmer them in the stock before anything else goes in, then continue as before. Garnish with slivered green onions and yum!
And finally I will give you a stock recipe because while using the low sodium stuff from the store is alright, making your own is easy, makes you feel like a really good cook, and makes the depth of flavour so much more complex and delicious:
Chinese Stock
4-1/2 lbs uncooked chicken bones like backs, or wings.
1-1/2 lbs chicken parts - I prefer dark as it gives up more flavour and thighsor drumsticks are nice and cheap.
1 gallon cold water
3 slices ginger - I know you hate it but I have to add it!!! Omit if absolutely necessary…
6 whole green onions
6 whole garlic cloves unpeeled
2 tsp black peppercorns
1 piece star anise optional
Put chicken pieces and bones into large pot either frozen or thawed. Cover with water and bring to a simmer.
While waiting for this, cut up the ginger, clean and trim the green onions and lightly crush the garlic cloves wioth the flat of a knife leaving the skins on.
using a flat spoon, skim off the scum as it rises
Don’t stir the stock and
WATCH THE HEAT!!!
The stock should NEVER NEVER boil, only simmer! This will take 20-40 minutes until the stock looks clear.
Now turn the heat down to a low simmer. Add the remaining ingredients and continue over a really low simmer for FOUR hours - the time is what makes it so rich. Skim off any fat during this time at least twice.
Don’t Stir!
Strain through cheesecloth or a very very fine strainer and let cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight and remove the fat that collects at the top.
You know have an almost completely fat free stock that tastes unbelievable and will be the base for so manyy recipes you will wonder what you did without it! I know I do.
I like to freeze it in 1-2 cup chunks as it makes it easy for portioning.
Oh and sailor?
I would tell you to fuck off but I think perhaps you were trying to be funny and just failed miserably.
You will notice my Bean curd soup recipe above has no ginger in it…I challenge you to find ANYTHING unauthentic about that!
…pondering
You know what? I don’t care…FUCK you and the sanctimonious horse you rode in on. My 4 yr old son knows enough to keep his mouth shut if he has nothing good to say…you are beneath contempt.
Mike, thanks for contributing to the GQ, but please take that kind of language to the pit where it belongs. You’ve been here long enough to know that.
<sigh. I just made a joke in chat that I would be chastised for my remarks long before Sailors’ MUCH more offensive ones…I didn’t think it would be this fast though.I stand by it.
Here is another one:
Chinese Cabbage Soup
4 cups stock
1 cup cut up bok choy
1 egg
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tbs soy
3 tbs green onions white parts only finely shredded
1 cup finely shredded iceberg lettuce
3 tbs green parts of green onions finely chopped as garnish
Simmer stock.
Prepare bok choy as follows: cut leaves into 2" pieces, peel stalks like asparagus and cut into diagonal slicesand wash well in several changes of water.
Lightly beat egg and mix with sesame oil in a small bowl.
Add sugar to stock, taste, and add salt pepper, and soy and stir a couple times.
Add bok choy and green onions and then drizzle egg mixture in a very thin slow line around the pot in a figure 8 pattern. loosely pull apart cooking egg with a fork or chopstick.
Remove from heat, add lettuce while stirring to incorporate.
Garnish with green onion slices and serve.
I will let the recipes talk for me…
If you need any info or tips feel free to email.
IM is OctarineFire
For a real authentic flavour, try a little fresh chopped lemongrass. Anytime I want to savour a fine south asian meal, or impress company I throw in a pinch.
Yum
MikeG, you may not appreciate my sense of humor but it is clear who does not have any manners around here. It is obvious I was not trying to be offensive, and the only one who has a right to be offended is the person I directed my post to. If she does not appreciate my sense of humor I would promptly apologise to her.
I could descend to your level and have this end up in the pit but I will not do that. I do think you owe the OP and the rest of the dopers an apology for posting something totally inappropriate here.
Actually sailor, i was offended despite being aware that it was an attempt at humour, but I didn’t reply because i thought it might be seen as an overreaction. FTR I can count, and I’ve lost 30lbs since January. I don’t know what you were trying to say when you made the comment about watching my weight go up but quite frankly I work hard to lose weight and I it’s not something i have a great sense of humour about. It was a bad judgement call, but that’s all. No need to head pit-wise.
MikeG and Cher3 - many thanks for the recipes, they sound delish. I may try the Chinese cabbage soup tonight.
Further suggestions welcomed
Fran
I will never apologise for what I said. As I have said before, My one rule for posting is that I would not post anything I would not say to that person’s face. If you were standing here in front of me, I would say the exact same thing with most likely a bit more thhrown in for good measure. Would you say that to her face? I sincerely hope not, but by your subsequent posts and attitude, I would have to admit you probably think it would be a great little joke.
Trying to conceal mean spirited, hurtful and prejudiced comments behind the sobriquet of “comedy” is an insult to the intelligence of the readers. You said those things, either retract them or stand by them, I care not which.
If you actually thought there was anything even remotely humorous about that, then I am glad this was my first and last encounter with you.
To reiterate, YOU should be the one who should be apologising to the OP and the Dopers who will have to read your hateful little post before they can get any REAL AND HELPFUL advice or suggestions. The mere words I used are irrelevant, yours were far more offensive and hurtful.
Consider this our last contact. Ever.
Fran I’ll type up a few more and email them…are you absolutely sure I can’t get you to reconsider ginger?
Francesca, I am sorry if I offended you and I hope you will see it was not meant that way at all. I do not know you and have never communicated with you before so you have to realise there’s no way anything there can be meant personally. While you might not appreciate my attempt at humor I hope you will understand that is all it was and there was no intent to offend you. Why on earth would I do such a thing? I hope it is clear I do not seriously believe any of the things I said.
MikeG, you are a fucking idiot. Francesca can speak for herself, or do you speak for her? In any case it is totally inapproprite to post like you did. If you have a problem you can email the mods so they can warn me or remove my post. Your reaction for my post which diod not mean offense is inexcusable. You are a fucking retard. and by the way, I do not have a horse any more than Chinese recipes require Ginger you moron.
Geepers…I thought this thread was about making soup, not war?