Veg-Manchow Soup

Manchow soup is a very popular street food in china, and you’ll find push carts selling off this soup customized to individual taste. The hawker will throw in the ingredients you ask for to make it suitable to your palate. Plenty of finely chopped veggies are simmered in a broth which contains generous helpings of ginger, garlic and mint. This soup is always served with a dash of chili oil. All these flavors make this soup very refreshing-which is why it is a popular soup on the streets of china. The aromas of ginger, mint and garlic truly awaken your senses. Delicious!

I haven't used vegetable stock, instead have made tomato pan sauce for making of the broth.

Making of the tomato broth:
Ingredients:
2 chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp oil
Method:

• Add oil in pan, fry the tomatoes till it cooks and becomes saucy (add pinch salt).
• Add soya sauce mix well, now add water 2 1/2 cup and bring to a boil & keep aside.

Making of the Manchow soup:
Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tsp chopped ginger
10 Shallots (they are the small onions)
1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
2 tbsp finely chopped capsicum (you can as as many vegetable of your choice)
2 tbsp finely chopped carrots
3 cups of tomato broth(look above for the method)
2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves (phudina) leaves
1 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
salt and to taste
2 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 3/4 cup

Method

• Heat the oil in a wok on a high flame till it smokes.
• Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies and saute on a high flame for a few seconds.
• Add all the vegetables, shallots and saute on a high flame for 2 to 3 minutes, add the mint leaves, coriander and mix well.
• Add the tomato broth, soya sauce, salt and pepper, mix well and bring to boil.
• Add the cornflour mixture and boil till the soup thickens, while stirring continuously.
• Top with chilli oil and coriander and serve immediately with chillies in vinegar and soya sauce.

Padmashree Raikar

@ gHara javaN