AI-generated image
Hong Kong vegetable macaroni soup
Tong tung fan: cha chaan teng breakfast macaroni in clear broth, with a fried egg on top
Walk into any Hong Kong cha chaan teng before 11 am and you'll see bowls of macaroni in clear soup on almost every table, part of the breakfast set with toast and milk tea. The usual version carries strips of ham; at home many families make it with sweetcorn, peas, carrot and a fried egg instead, for a light, comforting bowl that children love. Chef's tip: cook the macaroni separately and add it to the broth at the end, so it stays springy and the soup stays clear.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 4 oz elbow macaroni
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 carrotsmall, diced
- 2 ⅞ oz sweetcorn kernels
- 2 ⅛ oz frozen peas
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 spring onion (optional)finely sliced
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Boil 4 oz elbow macaroni in plenty of water over a high heat for 1 minute less than the packet time, until tender with a little bite. Drain and rinse briefly under hot water to wash off the starch.
8 minStep 2: Meanwhile bring 3 cups vegetable stock to a simmer in another pan, add 1 carrot and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes, then add 2 ⅞ oz sweetcorn kernels and 2 ⅛ oz frozen peas and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with ¼ tsp ground white pepper and ½ tsp toasted sesame oil; taste for salt.
7 minStep 3: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry 2 eggs for 2–3 minutes, until the whites are set with crisp, lacy edges and the yolks are still runny. Common mistake: frying on a low heat; the egg goes rubbery and pale instead of getting the browned edges that flavour the soup.
3 minStep 4: Divide the macaroni between deep bowls, ladle over the hot soup and vegetables, slide a fried egg on top and scatter with 1 spring onion if you like.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 55 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hong Kong vegetable macaroni soup take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 3 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of vegetable stock?
- Chicken stock, same amount (not vegetarian).
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Tiyula itumBlack beef soup
Tiyula itum, 'black soup', is the pride of the Tausug people of Sulu in the far south of the Philippines, cooked for weddings, Eid celebrations and when guests come home. Beef (it is a halal, pork-free dish) is simmered with ginger, lemongrass and turmeric, then darkened with pamapa itum, a paste of grated coconut toasted until almost black and pounded with spices. The broth looks dramatic but tastes smoky, earthy and gently peppery, with heat from chillies. Serve it with plain rice. Chef's tip: toast the coconut slowly, stirring all the time, until it is very dark brown but not ashy; burnt-to-ash coconut tastes bitter and ruins the soup.
Filipino
Ful nabitSprouted fava bean soup
Sprouted beans are ladled out with their cooking liquor in Cairo homes when the weather turns cold or someone is feeling run down, and Egyptians swear by the broth as a pick-me-up. The beans are soaked and left to sprout for a few days, then simmered with onion, garlic and cumin into a light, earthy soup that is sharpened at the table with plenty of lemon. You can eat the beans with a spoon or pop them from their skins. Allow 3 to 4 days for sprouting, although the hands-on work is only about 20 minutes. People with G6PD deficiency (favism) must not eat fava beans. Chef's tip: stop the sprouting when the shoots are about 1 cm long; longer sprouts taste grassy and bitter.
Egyptian
Miso soup
Miso soup (味噌汁) is drunk every day in homes all over Japan, at breakfast as well as dinner, beside a bowl of rice. The base is dashi; this vegan version uses kombu and dried shiitake instead of bonito, which gives it a deep, rounded flavour. Silken tofu and wakame seaweed are the classic fillings. It takes ten minutes; just remember not to boil the miso. Chef's tip: add the miso at the very end and never let it boil. Boiling kills the miso's fresh, fermented aroma; Japanese cooks say the soup should only 'smile', with the surface barely trembling.
Japanese