Instructions: Glass noodles, rice sticks, or mung bean noodles may be used in this soup.

Or try it with thin spaghetti made from wheat or rice. Fish sauce is discussed below. Garlic and ginger are added to the marinade, the broth and the dumplings. Serve the soup as a first course or with a salad for a light
meal.

Time: 30 minutes Marinade; 10 mins prep. Equip: Food processor or blender.

1. Drain tofu and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Marinate the tofu slices in a single layer in the sake, soy, 1/2 teaspoon each minced garlic and ginger for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare the noodles as directed on the package.

3. Bring vegetable broth to a simmer. Add 1 teaspoon each chopped ginger and garlic. Add fish sauce and cilantro. Adjust flavor.

4. Put tofu in a food processor with the flour, egg white, scallions and 1/2
teaspoon each chopped ginger and garlic. Process quickly. You may add a little more flour to make a smooth paste of the tofu. Remove and shape into
1-inch balls or drop by rounded spoonful into the soup. Poach the dumplings
gently for 1 minutes in the simmering broth, until they expand and float to
the top. Add the noodles and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve.

Its easy to think of ways to vary this basic idea. Use the dumplings in a vegetable stew as you might Brunswick stew. You could add vegetables, vary the broth, the herbs and the spices.

VEGETABLE SOUP WITH TOFU DUMPLINGS: Omit noodles. Add finely shredded vegetables such as carrot, zucchini, green bean. Simmer in the broth 1 to 2
minutes. Remove. Bring broth to a simmer and cook dumplings. Combine and serve.

TORTILLA SOUP WITH TOFU DUMPLINGS: Substitute a bottled mole sauce or minced onion for the ginger. Marinate tofu in tangy or hot V-8 juice cocktail with garlic and chipotle barbecue sauce. For the broth, use bouillon instead of the fish sauce. Add corn, black beans, and diced red pepper to the soup. Top with tortilla strips. Serve.

The fish sauce (nam pla) is salty and slightly sweet. It adds another layer
of flavor to the broth. You could leave it out or substitute a vegetable juice: carrot or V-8, or a vegetarian "oyster" sauce. Other options are also salty: add a small amount and adjust to taste: miso paste, soup-base concentrate (Minors or Better than Bouillon are two brands), Braggs amino.

The result may need honey or other sweetener.

Select low sodium versions of the ingredients.

Dont like tofu? Omit the dumplings and serve the broth, adding mushroom sauce and fresh soy beans.

tablespoon-ful into the simmering broth. Made six dumplings.

Definitely served 3. I think the egg white worked better than the liquid egg (I used SecondNature brand).

If you dont like tofu, add shiitake mushroom sauce to the broth

(not the marinade) and fresh soy beans or try snap-peas. That would be attractive too.

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