Rice Noodle Soup with Lettuce and Shiitake Mushrooms

This simple Asian-style soup, filled with fine rice noodles, crunchy lettuce, and healthy shiitake mushrooms, is a good introductory course for stir-fries and tofu dishes. Photos by Evan Atlas.

Serves: 4 to 6

4- to 5-ounce bundle fine Asian rice noodles
32-ounce carton low-sodium vegetable broth
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
½ large head Romaine lettuce, thinly shredded
3 to 4 large stalks bok choy with leaves, sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce, to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, or to taste
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, optional
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain well, then transfer the noodles to a cutting board and chop them in several directions to shorten.

Meanwhile, combine the vegetable broth with the shiitakes in a soup pot and bring to a rapid simmer.

Add the lettuce, bok choy, tamari, ginger, scallions, and optional sesame oil. Return to a simmer, then remove from the heat.

Stir the cooked noodles into the soup. Add a cup or more of water, enough to make the soup broth yet dense. The rice noodles absorb liquid quickly, so if the soup stands, you may need to add another cup or more, and adjust the flavorings.

Season with freshly ground pepper, and serve at once.

Variation: Use an equivalent amount of bean-thread noodles in place of the rice noodles.