Zingy Super Speedy Broth

The lurgy is going around and I woke up feeling rather under the weather. Having had no appetite today I decided to make my get-well broth for lunch – it’s worked enough for me to face my computer and have a blog!

Be warned it zings with lime and packs a punch with chilli! The bonus when you are not feeling up to cooking is that it is fast and easy to make! Fresh and healthy and absolutely delicious. I tend to always have fresh lime, chillies, garlic and ginger in my kitchen, then I use whatever veg I have to hand in my fridge as I don’t want to venture out. Today courgette was waiting patiently in the salad drawer – I am happy as courgette works really well absorbing all the flavours.

Zingy Super Speedy Broth – Ingredient list

fresh ginger, fresh chillies (I used cayenne and birds eye) cayenne pepper powder, fresh garlic, toasted sesame seed oil, courgette, fresh lime, swiss bullion, soy sauce (or salt if allergic to Soy), rice noodles (or whatever type you have)

Zingy Super Speedy Broth – Process (serves 1 – me)

• In prep chop up:
  • chunk of ginger – about 1.5 cm cubed
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 chillies – whatever you have available (I used 1 birdseye + 1 cayenne)
• In a thick bassed saucepan drizzle,
  • 2tsp toasted sesame seed oil (use alternative that heats up well – not olive oil)
• Add:
  • chopped ginger
  • chopped garlic
  • chopped chillies
• Heat pan on lowest heat available and allow to slowly warm the oil
• Dice:
  • half a courgette
• Add cayenne pepper powder for extra punch (half a tsp max!)
• Cook on low flame until smells are released and sizzling starts
• Add

  

  • diced courgette
• cover leave on low heat for about 5-7 mins until the courgette is shiny! (see pic)
• boil the kettle!
• stir in:
  • 1tsp swiss bullion (I like the depth of flavour it adds – but you can ignore veg stock if you want or use an alternative)
  • juice of 1 whole lime
  • 150g rice noodles (I used ready for wok ribbon ones as I had them in my larder)
  • couple of shakes of soy sauce (or salt if allergic – to balance the flavour)
• Turn up heat and blast it for 2 mins

• 

  Empty into bowl.

• Pour some boiling water into the now empty pan and scrap the flavour from the sides (I use a small amount of water so I can do this twice – means I don’t miss any of it)
• Pour into your bowl.
• Savour the flavours!

If you’ve got a cold you may need some tissues by your side as you sup this broth, it’s very effective at clearing out the nasal passages!