Monsoon Season in the East Bay

While I'm waiting for my new pink rain boots to arrive via post, I'm trying to keep my spirits up despite the gray rainy weather. Hello cheerful pink boots. Please come to me soon.


When the weather is like this, my favorite food is soup.

Last night I made an Asian inspired noodle soup, which for me is the vegetarian equivalent of good chicken soup: simple, comforting and delicious.

Asian Noodle Soup for Rainy Days
(song for noodle soup: Cat Stevens' "The Wind")

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 large shallots (chopped finely)
6 cloves of garlic
several slices of fresh ginger (4-6 slices, 1/4 inch thick)
1-2 stalks of lemongrass, outer layers peeled, cut into 2 inch pieces and bruised a little (I use a rolling pin)
6-8 cups of water (more or less depending on the number of people you are serving)
1 tsp. chili-garlic sauce
a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach
2 bundles soba noodles
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt to taste
cilantro (for garnish)

Warm oil over medium heat in a 4 quart pot. Add shallots, garlic (I pressed the garlic into the pot with my garlic press), lemongrass and ginger. Saute until shallots begin to brown. Add water and bring to a boil. Add garlic-chili sauce. Cover the pot, lower heat to a simmer, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Before you are ready to serve the soup, turn the heat back up so the soup boils, add the soba noodles, cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add spinach and soy sauce. Stir until spinach is wilted. Ladle the soup into bowls, and garnish with cilantro. If you are afraid of ginger slices in your bowl or pieces of lemongrass in your mouth, you can strain the soup before you add the noodles.

Note: Sometimes I add tamarind, brown sugar, and lime juice to turn this into a tangy hot and sour soup.