The quickest work lunch may still be the good old cup-a-soup—but this homemade version is fresher, more filling and lets you know exactly what has gone into it. Miso, dashi, tofu and rice noodles turn a mug of boiling water into a proper little lunch rather than a packet of powder.
I use a heatproof lidded container about the size of a large mug. For a heartier lunch, take a slightly bigger container and add a handful of finely shredded vegetables. Assemble it at home, keep it properly chilled and simply add boiling water when you are ready to eat.
Makes
1 generous cup
Preparation
10 minutes
Standing
5–7 minutes
Ingredients
For one cup
- 25g fine rice vermicelli noodles
- 80g ready-to-eat firm tofu, smoked or plain, cut into small cubes
- 1 tsp white or yellow miso paste
- ½ tsp instant dashi powder
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 1 small fresh or dried bird’s-eye chilli, finely sliced, or to taste
- ½ tsp dried wakame, or ½ small nori sheet cut into fine strips
- ½ tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- 300ml freshly boiled water
Optional extras
- 50g finely shredded stir-fry vegetables
- A squeeze of lime
- A few drops of sesame oil
To make it vegetarian: use a kombu- or mushroom-based dashi and replace the fish sauce with a little light soy sauce. Traditional bonito dashi contains fish.
Method
- Break up the noodles. Put the vermicelli into a sturdy food bag, leave a small gap for the air to escape and gently tap them with a rolling pin until the pieces are short enough to fit comfortably into your container.
- Assemble the cup. Put the broken noodles into a heatproof lidded container with the tofu, miso, dashi, spring onion, chilli, seaweed, fish sauce and coriander. Add the shredded vegetables now if you are using them.
- Keep it chilled. Close the container and refrigerate at 5°C or below. Use it within two days and keep it chilled until you are ready to prepare the soup.
- Add the water. Remove the lid and pour over 300ml freshly boiled water. Stir thoroughly, making sure the miso has dissolved, then cover loosely.
- Let it stand. Leave for 5–7 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Stir again, add lime or sesame oil if you fancy it, and check the temperature before eating.
Catherine’s tip
Do not try to snap dry vermicelli in its flimsy shop packet. I did, and one small thump produced a noodle explosion that decorated the kitchen. A stronger bag with a little opening for the trapped air keeps the noodles—and your dignity—contained. Dashi brands also vary in strength and saltiness, so start with ½ teaspoon and adjust the next cup rather than adding extra salt.
Foodwizardry 