I love East Asian cuisine. And considering it’s the most populated region in the world and they have such a rich and vast diversity in their food culture, I’m very glad I love it. If you asked me which was my favorite though, that would be a tough one to answer. There’s so much that’s amazing and different about their dishes and foods that it’s hard to pick one over the other. However if I’m a bit under the weather and I crave something comforting, I know what I want. It’s one of two simple choices. Thai or Vietnamese. Thai green curry chicken and spicy Thai chicken skewers are another two of my favorites! This Lemongrass Noodle soup with Cucumber & Chicken was a result of one of those times when I was yearning for some Thai or Vietnamese food, but couldn’t get to a restaurant. It has evolved quite a bit since the first time I made it, but I think I love it the best in its current form. It’s a comforting winter-worthy recipe for sure.
Lemongrass noodle soup
I love lemongrass and I’m always looking to incorporate that flavor in my dishes. Like these easy lemongrass chicken bowls, lemongrass and wasabi chicken nuggets, lemongrass flavored savory oatmeal etc. It’s also a flavor that is common to both Thai and Vietnamese cuisines, so I’m not entirely sure which category of cuisine I would file this under. Maybe I’ll just make a new one and call it “absolutely amazing noodle soup recipes”. Because this dish is all that and more. MY absolute favorite part of this soup though is the cucumber. It adds a really nice crunch and coolness that acts as a fantastic contrast to this warm and spicy soup. The coconut milk adds a wonderful creaminess without making the soup heavy and mellows out the heat from the spices a little (which you can of course adjust to your preference). Plus the coconut complements the lemongrass flavor really well too. You may notice in the recipe that I “fry” some chilli flakes in a little oil before adding them to the soup. I have always loved a little bit of chilli (oil and flakes) floating on top of soups like this because it adds a fantastic flavor as you sip (or slurp) the soup. Plus I really like how pretty those chilli flakes look, swimming in the soup like that.
Recipe notes
I made this soup with chicken stock and added chicken (mainly for the benefit of my husband), but this can easily be omitted or replaced with something like vegetable stock and tofu as well. And please use a GOOD chicken stock. Nothing would make me happier than making this with homemade chicken stock, but let’s be honest, not all of us have home made chicken stock at home all the time. So store bought is more than fine. However make sure it is a good one and it’s your favorite (chicken or vegetable stock). I have always used mung noodles or glass noodles for this soup because it’s my favorite. I love how they become translucent as they cook. However you could easily substitute it with a different kind of noodle. And if you don’t want noodles, you can prepare just the soup with maybe double the amount of cucumber instead (I’ve done that too, and it’s still great with a lovely texture). It’s best if you add the cucumbers in last. Or you can serve the cucumbers separately if you want. Or, serve the soup immediately after ladling the hot soup over the cucumber and noodles. I just personally like the cool crunch of the cucumber with the soup and the longer the cucumber sits in there, it will warm up with the soup.
When I say this serves 2-3, I mean that it should serve 2 people very generously, 3 individuals who might be light eaters, but only 1 of my husband! He absolutely loves this soup and would finish all of it in one go, unless I stop him! Like I said earlier this is a very warming, satisfying, slightly spicy soup and it’s perfect for this time of the year. And I love how the chicken is perfectly cooked (isn’t dry at all) and absorbs the flavors of the soup. Coconut and lemongrass is a classic combination and it works like a charm here too. I hope you can give this one a go and let me know what you think. There’s nothing like a warm, spicy, flavor-packed soup to wake up your taste buds, especially in the winter! I love connecting with everyone on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST and GOOGLE-PLUS or even by sending me an email. I’m almost always sharing other recipes and also photographs I take (usually of something I am putting together in the kitchen or of something interesting I see somewhere). If you would like to get a reminder when I do share recipes on this blog, you can subscribe by entering your email address below or on the side bar 🙂
