Vegetarian Hot Pot

I love making soups, and this one is especially delicious.

This time I used carrots and broccoli, but feel free to use whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. Just make sure you chop everything before you start cooking, or else things will get hectic in the kitchen!

If you eat meat, try substituting steak or shrimp for seitan. Have other variation ideas? Share them with us in the comment section!

Recipe:

1 cup seitan

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1 cup onion, or 1/2 a medium onion

1 cup carrots, or 3 medium carrots

2 cups broccoli, or 1 small head

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 cups water and 2 cups stock or 4 cups water and 2 bullion cubes (any variety broth or bullion is fine)

1/4 package or 3 1/2 ounces tapioca stick rice noodles

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 cup spinach

1. Coat the bottom of a large sauce pan with olive oil. On medium heat, add seitan and stir-fry one to five minutes, depending on thickness, or until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Bring the water to a boil in a kettle while you chop the vegetables and mince the garlic.

3. With the pot on medium heat, add garlic, onion, carrots, and broccoli. Stir in soy sauce, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Stir-fry five minutes, or until onions are almost translucent. Add hoisin sauce, hot water, and either bullion cubes or stock. Bring to a boil.

4. Stir in rice noodles. Reduce heat, and simmer until noodles are al dente, about five minutes. Turn off heat and add rice vinegar.

5. Ladle the soup into each bowl and top with 1/4 cup prepared seitan, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1/4 cup chopped spinach.

Makes four large servings.