4 soupy noodle recipes from the best Asian restaurants in the country

Hot bowls filled with broth or soup, loaded with carby noodles, are the perfect way to enjoy winters. And there is no better way to do it than to make them from scratch on a leisurely afternoon for lunch or a laid-back dinner idea. Whether you're looking for a meal to pair with your Korean binge watch or having friends over for an Asian dinner, these quick-one pot wonders from four of the country’s best Asian eateries are great recipes to try out. 

Recipe: Butternut Squash Ramen

• 100gm butternut squash, peeled and diced

• 100gm silken tofu

• 250gm ramen noodles

• 20gm red curry paste

• 100ml coconut milk

• 100gm vegetable stock

• 1-2 bird eye chilli

• ½ tsp light soy sauce

• 300gm shiitake mushrooms

• 20gm sweet corn kernels

• 10gm fried onion

• 10gm fried garlic

• 10gm spring onion, chopped

• Shichimi togarashi, for garnish

• 10gm refined oil

• Salt to taste

• ½ tsp chilli oil

1. Preheat the oven to 170 C. Toss squash with the oil and a bit of salt. Spread evenly on a baking dish and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until tender.

2. Remove from the oven and keep some of the roasted squash to garnish, purée the rest of the squash.

3. Cook the ramen noodles in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse in cold water and keep aside.

4. Season the tofu with salt, pan-sear on a non-stick pan and keep aside.

5. For the broth, in a thick-bottomed pan add oil, red curry paste and cook for three to four minutes, add squash paste along with vegetable stock and bring it to boil.

6. Lower the heat, add coconut milk, light soy sauce, bird’s eye chilli and simmer for three to four minutes.

7. To assemble, in a large bowl, place the noodles and ladle the broth. Top it with roasted squash, tofu, scallion, sweet corn, pickled shiitake mushrooms, fried garlic and onion. Drizzle with chilli oil and togarashi.

Recipe: Vegan and Gluten-free Noodles with a Lemongrass Broth

• 6 cups vegetable stock

• 3 stalks fresh lemongrass, chopped

• 1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk

• 1 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

• 1 1/2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil

• 1 ½ cup diced onion

• 1 1/2 green chili pepper, seeded and minced

• 2 1/4 cups broccoli florets, chopped

• 1 1/2 blocks of extra firm tofu, cubed

• 1 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free tamari/soya sauce

• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1 packet rice noodles

1. In a large pot, heat vegetable stock and add lemongrass and boil it.

2. Remove from heat and allow the lemongrass to steep for 10 minutes. Strain the steeped broth. Discard the lemongrass.

3. Transfer the broth to a blender. Add the coconut milk, cilantro, salt and pepper.

4. Blend the mixture until smooth. Set aside.

5. In the same large pot, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, chilli, ginger. Stir and saute until the onions are translucent and slightly soft, about two minutes.

6. Add the broccoli florets and stir. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Add the tofu and stir. Pour the coconut lemongrass broth and tamari into the pot, and stir to combine.

7. Bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until broccoli is tender, about four minutes. Stir in the lime juice.

8. Serve the broth with rice noodles mixed in and lime wedges on top.

Recipe: Khao Soy

• 80gm tofu

• 50gm broccoli

• 30gm Thai yellow curry paste

• 30gm Thai red curry paste

• 100ml water

• 80 Thai yellow noodles

• For garnish: fried noodles, coriander leaves, red chillies (julienned)

1. Cook the Thai yellow and red curry paste on a slow flame till for two to three minutes. Add water to the paste and bring it to a boil.

2. Pour in the coconut milk and let it simmer with all the other ingredients and the vegetables toppled in.

3. Allow this pot to bubble for five to seven minutes.

4. Pour the mixture into a bowl along with a portion of Thai Yellow boiled noodles, some of them fried beforehand, coriander leaves and red chillies.

Recipe: Asian Style Clear Soup with Vermicelli

• 250gm chicken wings

• 250gm chicken bones

• 150gm onions, sliced

• 20gm ginger, pounded

• 15gm garlic, pounded

• 10gm white peppercorn

• 15ml oil

• 1.5l water

• 25gm pad Thai noodles, cooked

• 250gm chicken, boiled and shredded

• 5gm spring onion, chopped

• 2 tbsp carrot, sliced

• 2 tbsp shiitake mushroom, sliced

• 2 tbsp snow peas, stringed and halved

• 2 tbsp Chinese cabbage or pak choy, diced

• A drizzle of sesame oil, seasoning

1. To make the stock, pat dry the chicken wings and bones. Break down into small pieces.

2. In an oven, brown the bones at 170 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes or sauté the bones in a wok till brown.

3. Heat oil in a wok and add onions, garlic, ginger sauté till onion turns soft and transparent.

4. Add the browned bones, sauté for a minute before adding cold water and whole peppercorns. Bring the stock to a boil over a high flame. Lower the flame and allow it to simmer for at least 40 to 45 minutes. Keep skimming the froth from the top to get a clear broth.

5. Strain and keep aside.

6. To make the soup, bring one cup of water to a boil and add all the vegetables except spring onions. Blanche for a few seconds. Strain and keep aside.

7. Take about 250 ml of chicken broth, add shredded chicken, bring it to a boil, skim if any froth forms on the surface.

8. Add the rest of the ingredients and give it another boil.

9. Place the pad thai noodle in the serving bowl. Pour the steaming hot soup over the noodles, garnish with spring onion.

Also read: 

5 recipes that will give regular instant noodles a delicious makeover

4 quick and easy one pot recipes that are perfect for when you can't deal with washing more dishes

4 recipes for making restaurant-like pasta at home