Mummy, I want noodles!

Whenever I ask Georgia what she would like to eat for lunch or dinner, she'll always tell me noodles. Always noodles. But of course I'm not going to cook her noodles everyday. I'll get sick of it! I do cook noodles for her at least three times a week. So today I granted her wish for noodles when I asked her what she wants for lunch.

I usually would whip up something quick and easy for our lunch as before that we would be doing some homeschooling, playing, reading and also in between some house work. So lunch has to be prepared and cooked in less than 30 minutes. My family and myself have come to love eating soba more after our trip to Tokyo. We would either have it in soup or stir fry. For today's lunch, I stir fry an easy peasy soba in less than 30 minutes as the little one was telling me she's hungry every few minutes! ( I guess she's all hungry after our morning walk around the neighbourhood ^_^)

I also prepared soup. Our family cannot do without soup. We have to have soup everyday otherwise the man and the little girl would be asking me why I never cook any. I cooked watercress soup today. It's considered a 'cooling' soup and it's especially good for hot weather.

Here are my recipes for the easy peasy stir fry soba and the watercress soup.

EASY PEASY STIR FRY SOBA


For two
INGREDIENTS
A handful of dried soba ( I prefer using the dried ones than the pre-cooked soba)
1/2 cup buna shimeji mushrooms (trim the base)
1/4 cup button mushrooms (fresh or canned), cut into half
1/2 cup broccoli
1/4 cup carrots, sliced
1 small piece of garlic
1 tsp of black sesame seeds (lightly toasted on pan)

2-3 tbsp of olive oil
1-2 tsp of sesame oil
3-4 tsp low sodium soya sauce
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp of vegetarian G powder (optional), you could use 1 tbsp of mushroom sauce
pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Boil the soba in boiling water for about 8-10 minutes until al dente. If too soft, it will stick to the pan during stir fry.
2. Drain soba and soak in cold water for 1 min and drained off water. Keep aside.
3. Add olive oil to cooking pan, then add garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add broccoli and carrots, stir fry and cover for 30 seconds.
5. Add shimeji and button mushrooms. Add a pinch of sea salt and stir fry till well mixed.
6. Remove vegetables and mushrooms and put aside.
7. Heat olive oil in pan and add soba on low fire. Toss around and make sure soba is covered with some oil.
8. Add the soya sauce, vegetarian G powder (optional) and stir well.
9. Next add the vegetables and mushroom and mix them up. Add the sesame oil, sesame seeds and also pepper to taste.
10. Turn off heat, prepare cutleries and you're ready to eat!

NOTE: You can always vary your ingredients like adding pine nuts, cashew nuts or anything you fancy!

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WATERCRESS SOUP


For 2-3
INGREDIENTS
5-6 cups of water
A packet of watercress (trim off the base and washed with water and drained)
A handful of red dates (soaked in water till soft, drained)
1-2 mi zao (these dates are bigger and sweeter than red dates)
2 tbsp of wolfberries (soaked in water till soft, drained)
2 tsp of vegetarian G powder (optional) or vegetarian stock
1/2 tsp of sea salt

METHOD
1. Add red dates, wolfberries and mi zao into boiling water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add watercress and cover. Cook in low heat and boil for 20-25 mins.
3. Add vegetarian G powder or vegetarian stock (optional) and salt. Stir well and turn off heat.
4. The soup is ready to be served!

Have fun cooking!

^_^