Summer ‘sticker soup

I love soup. Love it. But when the days start to get a bit longer and the temperature warms up, I like to lighten up my recipes a bit and eat more summery dishes. That’s how I decided to create this light miso soup using seasonal veggies.

One of my favorite recipes is this miso soba noodle soup with spicy tofu and mushrooms, but in the summer it feels too dark and heavy. So for the summer I made a slightly different, lighter version using mild white miso, asparagus and sprouting broccoli with vegetable potstickers. The fresh, raw veggie toppings and lime juice elevate the soup that much more, making it a very light but filling summer soup, perfect for warmer days.

The potstickers (aka gyoza) can be difficult to find in traditional grocery stores, but if you have Chinese supermarkets near you they should have some in the freezer section. There are quite a few different Chinese shops in Leicester, but the one I like and go to on a regular basis is Tai Fat off of Belgrave Gate. They usually have several different types of veggie gyoza – all of which are vegan (from what I’ve seen).

The white or yellow miso is another product you might need to search for, but is generally readily available at health food shops. It is very different to the traditional, dark miso you can find in most grocery stores as it has a sweeter, milder flavor without as much salt.

Here is my recipe for my summer ‘sticker soup

Ingredients

(serves 4)

For the potstickers 

• 16 vegetable potstickers or gyoza (or more if you’re hungry!)
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 cup water

For the broth 

• 4 tablespoons mild white or yellow miso
• 1 liter water
• 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
• Juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1 teaspoon sriracha

For the veggies 

• 12 large asparagus spears*
• 12 spears sprouting broccoli
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon tamari (or soy sauce)

Everything else 

• 100g instant rice noodles**
• 2 carrots, peeled and julienned
• 2-3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 4-5 radishes, thinly sliced
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Sriracha
• 1-2 red chilies, thinly sliced (optional)

*If asparagus is out of season, feel free to use other veggies like sauteed courgettes with mushrooms or steamed bok choy 
**swap out rice noodles for 100% buckwheat soba noodles if you want to make it a bit healthier

Directions 

1. Heat a large, non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour in the sesame oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add the potstickers. Cook for 5 minutes without a lid.
2. After five minutes, add some water so that the bottom of the pan is covered (be careful as you add it – the water will spit and bubble!). Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Check halfway through – if it’s drying out add a bit more water.
3. Add all the ingredients for the broth into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cover for around 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over medium heat with the sesame oil and add the asparagus and sprouting broccoli. Add the tamari and cover, cooking until the veggies are tender but still have a little bite, about 5 minutes. Make sure to check the veggies and stir once in a while, adding a little water if the pan dries out too much.
5. Cook the noodles according to the package. Once cooked, drain and rinse in cool water and set aside.
6. After the gyoza has cooked for ten minutes, remove the lid and cook for another 3 minutes or so until the water has evaporated and the bottom of the potstickers are browned. Remove the gyoza from the pan, ready to assemble the bowls.
7. To assemble, divide the noodles, gyoza and veggies between four bowls. Top with carrot, radish, chilies (if using), sesame seeds, a lime wedge and sriracha.
8. Enjoy!