Asian Noodle Soup

I love soup.  I especially love soup that's quick and easy, which you don't see too often.  I also adore Asian food but I find that what I can make at home never measures up to what you get at a decent Chinese restaurant but that is not the case with this soup.  The flavors that the spices lend to the chicken broth really make the dish.  Try them all the first time you make this - I promise you won't be disappointed.  I don't really like star anise or too much ginger but they really work together well here.  Obviously, you can substitute the vegetables to suit your preference and just swapping the chicken broth for vegetable broth makes this dish vegetarian and vegan!

Asian Noodle Soup

adapted from Nigella Lawson's "Light n Tasty" Soup (link)

Makes 2 large bowls

Ingredients

6 ounces Asian noodles (like udon or soman^*)
3 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 star anise
1 teaspoon minced ginger^**

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 large zucchini, chopped
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms 

1 small head of broccoli, chopped

Directions
1.  Cook the noodles according to packet instructions.  When they finish, drain and separate into 2 bowls.  

2.  While the noodles are cooking, combine the broth, brown sugar, star anise, ginger, and soy sauce into a saucepan.  When this comes to a boil, add the vegetables and cook for about 2 minutes, depending on how soft you prefer them.

3.  Ladle broth and vegetables over the noodles in each individual bowl.  Enjoy!

Notes

^*I used somen, which are long and skinny, here because I had them in the cabinet.  You can find somen in the Asian section of your grocery store.  I think udon, which are flat like fettuccine, work best though I've only been able to find them at places like World Market.

^**Be sure to mince the ginger as fine as possible.  It isn't tasty to chop down on a large chunk.  I know from experience!  Tastes sort of like cleaning detergent...  Also!  You usually can get ginger in very small pieces from the grocery store for less than 50 cents.  I don't use it a whole lot so this works well for me.  A piece the size of a ping pong ball will give you enough for this recipe twice!  If you have to get a large piece or if you use it a lot, it does store for quite awhile in the freezer.