Pork belly noodle soup with Chinese five spice and sweet potato
Not a very modest claim, but this is the best noodle soup I have ever had - restaurants included. Rich, satisfying and full-flavoured, this soup really fills you up. Just the smell of it cooking in the pan will be enough to whet your appetite! This is another recipe best saved for the weekend as the pork needs to marinate in the five spice and then cook slowly for a few hours - but all you have to do is throw the ingredients in a pan, and then be patient. Minimum effort and maximum taste. It makes quite a lot of soup so you should be sorted for a few weeknight dinners.
Serves 4-6.
1. The evening before (or 2 hours before if you are short on time), take 500g - 1kg (2¼lb) pork belly, rind on and cut into 1cm (½in) strips. Sprinkle 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder over the pork and rub it well into the meat. Cover with Clingfilm and refrigerate.
2. Once it has marinated, put the pork belly in a large pan and add 1.5 litres hot water, 50ml soy sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2.5cm (1in) piece of root ginger, finely grated (from the freezer or fresh), 2 garlic cloves, crushed, 1 small red chilli, sliced OR 1 large pinch of dried chilli flakes, 2 tbsp fish sauce and 4 tbsp hoisin sauce.
3. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and put the lid on the pan. Simmer for 1½-2 hours, or until the pork is very tender. Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. Taste the broth as it cooks and add more water if it is too strong tasting or looking low on liquid.
4. About ten minutes before the pork is cooked, add 400g (14oz) sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes (OR butternut squash but this is about ten times harder to chop!)
5. Add 200g (7oz) noodles (fine vermicelli rice or glass noodles are best but any kind could work) five or so minutes later (depending on how long your noodles need to be cooked). You could also add in some spinach at this point if you'd like to include some extra veg and get a bit more colour in your soup.
6. Divide the soup between your bowls. Top with chopped coriander and shredded spring onion - if you like.
Recipe adapted from 'Great Homemade Soups' by Paul Gayler.
Serves 4-6.
1. The evening before (or 2 hours before if you are short on time), take 500g - 1kg (2¼lb) pork belly, rind on and cut into 1cm (½in) strips. Sprinkle 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder over the pork and rub it well into the meat. Cover with Clingfilm and refrigerate.
2. Once it has marinated, put the pork belly in a large pan and add 1.5 litres hot water, 50ml soy sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2.5cm (1in) piece of root ginger, finely grated (from the freezer or fresh), 2 garlic cloves, crushed, 1 small red chilli, sliced OR 1 large pinch of dried chilli flakes, 2 tbsp fish sauce and 4 tbsp hoisin sauce.
3. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and put the lid on the pan. Simmer for 1½-2 hours, or until the pork is very tender. Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. Taste the broth as it cooks and add more water if it is too strong tasting or looking low on liquid.
4. About ten minutes before the pork is cooked, add 400g (14oz) sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes (OR butternut squash but this is about ten times harder to chop!)
5. Add 200g (7oz) noodles (fine vermicelli rice or glass noodles are best but any kind could work) five or so minutes later (depending on how long your noodles need to be cooked). You could also add in some spinach at this point if you'd like to include some extra veg and get a bit more colour in your soup.
6. Divide the soup between your bowls. Top with chopped coriander and shredded spring onion - if you like.
Recipe adapted from 'Great Homemade Soups' by Paul Gayler.
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