chinese chicken cabbage and noodle soup

We love noodles! And, have never met a noodle we didn’t like! So, this soup was created anew this morning in our kitchen from a very old recipe I had in the recipe file. It is a chilly, blustery fall day with snow in the forecast for the “higher elevations on the western slopes” – that could be us. The only comfort I can think of for such a dastardly forecast on October 19th is yummy, hot soup for supper! Bon Appetit!

•   one 3-lb chicken parts
•   8 cups water
•   one onion, chopped
•   1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
•   1-1/2 lb Napa cabbage, rough shred
•   2 cups dry egg noodles
•   Kikkoman Teriyaki marinade – 6 oz, or to your taste preference*
•   Ginger root – a tsp or T of minced ginger root**

1. Cook your chicken in the water. I used thighs because I had them in the freezer. Simmer 30 minutes until cooked. STRAIN the broth into another pot because this is your soup stock. Let the chicken parts cool and then pull the meat and place into stock pot with strained broth.
2. While chicken is cooking, heat some olive oil in a big saute pan and saute the onions and mushrooms.
3. Cut and rinse the Napa cabbage (I used my salad spinner to clean the roughly-chopped cabbage.
4. Put the cabbage in with the onions and mushrooms and saute together for a few minutes, then turn off heat and put a lid on so the cabbage just wilts into the other veggies.
5. Into the stock pot with broth and chicken, on a simmering temperature, put the Teriyaki sauce and ginger. Ginger is a very strong flavor – so use discretion. (see below note)**
6. Now, add your veggies. Simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off heat, cover.
7. One hour before serving, heat to bubbly again, dump in the egg noodles, turn off the burner, cover and forget about it and fix the rest of your meal. (The noodles will cook through without the burner being on and they will not get mushy & starchy with this technique.)
8. Allow the eater to salt his/her own bowl of soup – the Teriyaki sauce has too much sodium in it!*

*  I rarely used processed stuff – but this ingredient does add a nice Oriental flavor – I just won’t make a habit of it!

** I did not have fresh Ginger root nor did I have ground ginger, but I did have a Ginger tea bag, so I infused the tea bag in a cup of very hot chicken stock!