DRIVE BY udon soup for one for lunch, better than instant and if you have broth from a pressure cooked chicken, you're even healthier... so delicious too!

I haven't been the happiest lately.  I'm feeling pretty lonely and thinking about what I need to do to change all that.  Well, I know what to do but it's actually doing it.  That being said, I needed to find something comforting to eat.  I had the broth from a chicken I pressure cooked so that's a good start.  I searched in the pantry and found some 'fresh' udon noodles I'd bought as an experiment.  .50/each can't go wrong there! This is the package.  They're soft and mostly vacuum packed.  The instructions say boil 3 minutes, how hard can that be?  But, I thought, I can do better that.

**IF you don't have these fresh udon noodles, use leftover spaghetti if you have it, 
cook some udon noodles and use those, use dry rice noodles, there's a million options.
don't NOT make this for want of this one packet of udon noodles 

I decided that a big hot steaming rich bowl of udon soup is exactly what I needed to make me feel the love.

DRIVE BY RECIPE:  TRACY'S UDON SOUP

INGREDIENTS

1 packet udon noodles, check out the ones that I buy now, they'e .50/each and easily enough for two for lunch
1 spring/green onion, chopped and split into whites and greens
2-3 inches of the tops of celery stalk
Small handful of greens or shredded cabbage or slaw, whatever you have in the fridge
1 tsp grated ginger
2 1/2 cups stock or water or combination
plain oil
light soy sauce
oyster sauce
sesame oil
hot chili oil (optional)

METHOD AND PLAY BY PLAY PICS 

 In a saucepan, over medium high heat, add some oil to heat up, add the grated ginger and white part of the spring onion, add a small handful of greens or slaw and shush around a bit.  The veggies will look a little softer but not limp, no one wants limp vegetables.  Total time so far? about a minute.

    

Add the packet of fresh udon.  I dump them in and stir them around in the hot oil and veggies for just a moment.  When they're all combined in the veggies, add the chicken stock, about 2+ cups.  This is my 'jelly' stock from the pressure cooked chicken.  So rich, man I love this stuff.  You can use stock from a can or a bottle or jar.  

    

Stir the noodles into the broth, add about a tablespoon of oyster sauce and a little bit of light soy. Bring to a boil pretty quickly, I set a mental timer for 3 minutes. After about 3 minutes, take it off the heat and add the onion greens and a few DROPS of sesame oil.

    

Stir, oh look at this saucepan of love.  I scoop out some noodles to each bowl (or just into mine!) and then pour the soup over.  You can eat the noodles with chopsticks or a fork or use a spoon for both. Oh and slurp, you must slurp loudly.

    

NOW, in the spirit of full disclosure, I do have a ice cream sundae glass that I keep filled with hot chili oil.  I take some Sambal (or garlic chili paste) and put it in the bottom, I then cover with plain oil and stir, every day or so or every time I walk by, I stir it and then, in a day or so you get this brilliant, neon red oil that packs a loving punch of chili without the tear causing sambal straight from the jar.  So, I added a drizzle, oh look at those little neon oil floaters of delight.   

 

I'd love to wax poetic but I'm going to sit and eat this now, all of it. x 

/enjoy