The warm, spiced notes of star anise make an aromatic broth for this Chinese mushroom noodle soup. Add any veg straight from the freezer, I used green beans & sweetcorn, but broccoli would work great here too- anything goes! Use any variety of mushroom you can find & keep your eyes out for oyster & shiitake as they taste amazing. I use 100% buckwheat soba noodles which are now stocked in most shops & you can get here.

Method

1. Fill a saucepan with boiling water and cook the noodles, until al dente, according to the packet instructions (about 5 minutes, instead of the usual 6–8). Then drain, rinse with cold water (to stop them cooking), and set aside.
2. Put the same pan back on the hob, heat the coconut oil and fry most of the spring onions (reserving some for serving). Add all the ginger and garlic on a medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring from time to time.
3. Add the mushrooms and fry for another 4 minutes followed by the star anise, the greens, sweetcorn and then the broth/stock.
4. Let simmer on medium high for 5 minutes, lid on, until the greens are just tender. Add the cooked noodles, to warm through, then turn off the heat and add the tamari and lime juice. Season to taste.
5. Divide between bowls and scatter over the fresh coriander, spring onions and chilli flakes.

Ingredients

• 400g buckwheat noodles
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 6 spring onions, thinly sliced, save ¼ for garnishing
• 1 thumb ginger, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500g mushrooms, roughly sliced
• 2 star anise
• 250g green beans
• 2 big handfuls frozen sweetcorn
• 800ml quality vegetable stock or broth
• 2 tbsp tamari
• Juice of 1 lime or ½ lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Serve

• 1 large handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• Spring onions
• Chilli flakes

My Cookbook