Satay Soup with Buckwheat Noodles

This recipe is a bit 'northeastern China meets Southeast Asia,' but I'm so glad the two did meet, 'cause the results are delicious! I used Jeeca's lovely recipe as a base, but obviously made a few changes to bring forward some Thai and Chinese elements. Recipes are only ever guides, not laws, so feel free to play with mine as well if you like!

Satay Noodle Soup

(2 servings)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

5 cloves of garlic (crushed/minced)

2 green onion stalks (chopped - separate whites and greens)

1 small knob of ginger (crushed/minced)

1/2 tablespoon of Thai yellow curry paste

2 tablespoons of peanut butter*

1 teaspoon of sugar or palm sugar

2 cups of vegetable stock**

1 tablespoon of fish sauce

400ml / 13.5oz of regular coconut milk

1 tablespoon of lime juice

Sriracha (to taste)

Protein of choice*** (if desired)

90g / 3oz of buckwheat noodles****

*I like crunchy personally, but use what you like (or got!). I've usually got Jif peanut butter on hand and it works beautifully in this recipe.

**If you're not off meat chicken stock also works really nicely.

***Shredded rotisserie chicken breast and/or tofu puffs both work beautifully here, but you could also add something else or skip a protein entirely. 

****We usually buy a Korean brand, but to each their own! This would work nicely with vermicelli or rice noodles too.

Directions

1) Put a pot or large wok over medium heat, add the oil, and then stir fry the garlic, whites from the green onions, and ginger for a couple of minutes before adding the curry paste and stir frying another minute or so.

2) Once everything is beautifully fragrant from the curry paste incorporate the peanut butter and sugar, stir fry for another minute, and then add the stock and fish sauce before bringing the stock to a boil.

3) Stir in the coconut milk, lime juice, sriracha, and protein of choice (if desired), reduce to low, and simmer the soup while you prepare your noodles.

4) Prepare the buckwheat noodles as directed on the package, cool under cold water, and divide up between your bowls. Ladle the soup into the bowls and garnish with the remaining green onion and another squeeze of lime juice if you like, and enjoy!