Being sick is for chumps.  I’ve been home for 11 days.  The bright side, if this situation can be said to have a bright side, is that my lying-around-on-the-couch chops are really honed in time for the post-season.  Also, let the record show that yes we overprescribe antibiotics and yes “Western medicine” is scrip-happy, but when you need antibiotics YOU NEED THEM.  I presented with the kind of throat infection that made my dr. say “Eurgh!” when I said “aaaah”.  You get no countercultural points staying at home with a fever.

Now that I’m lucid and mobile enough to prepare my own food, here’s an immune-boosting brothstravaganza that soothes the savage throat.  Inspired by phó but beefless:

In a medium soup pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil with:

3 cloves garlic, skins on, flattened with the side of a knife
2 oz. dried mushrooms [we used chanterelles because that's what we had; shiitake would be even better]
1 thumb sized piece of ginger; peel it, set aside about a knuckle-sized peeled chunk, slice the rest thinly and put the thin slices and the peel in the water

That's what the julienne peeler does for the carrot

3 dried Thai chilis
1/2 tsp white peppercorns
1/2 tsp pink peppercorns
2 tsp coriander seeds
the top and tail of a carrot [you'll need the rest below]
the top and tail and leaves of a celery stick [see below]
the top, tail, and half of a white onion, sliced [now you're gettin' it]
5 stars of star anise
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp kosher salt

This whole shootin’ match should be brought to a boil, then lowered to simmer, and simmered for as long as you can stand it or until all the colour has been leached out of your veggies and your whole house smells like star anise. Strain and RESERVE THE LIQUID; throw away the spices and veggies. Set stock aside.

For soup:

Splash canola oil
The half of the onion you didn’t use above, super-thinly sliced

om nom nom nom

1 stalk celery, cut into julienne strips
1 carrot, julienned [I used the julienne peeler because I have one]
1 lb cremini mushrooms, super-thinly sliced
The knuckle-sized piece of ginger, thinly slliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch bok choy, thinly sliced
1 bunch broccolini, cut on an angle in 1/2 inch bits
Lots of water
4 vegetarian “beef” boullion cubes
Dark soy sauce
1 package thick rice stick; break it up in a bowl, pour boiling water over it, stir to cover and loosen noodles…then drain, rinse in cold water, COVER in cold water and set aside

To garnish:

Bean sprouts
Thai basil, chiffonaded [word?]
Lime wedges
Pea shoots
Chili-garlic sauce
Sesame seeds

In an enormous stock pot, heat canola oil on high. Add sliced mushrooms and a couple shakes of kosher salt; stir to cover until pan bottom is dry; add onion, ginger, carrots and celery, stir just a couple of times. Then add reserved spice stock and water to almost fill the pot. Add garlic, stock cubes and soy sauce; cover and bring to a boil. Add broccolini and bring back to a boil; then add boy choy, rice stick, turn of the heat, stir and cover for just about 30 seconds or until the bok choy wilts.

To serve, ladle into a deep bowl and then throw some bean sprouts on top. I like “planting” the pea shoots at the side of the bowl as a nod to phó tai with raw beef; when you get your soup you stir the pea shoots in and the hot broth cooks them.  Add basil chiffonade, sesame seeds, and top with the lime wedge and some hot sauce if desired.

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January 16th, 2010 Reality is a conversation – Part I – The known | Heavy Metta Says:

[...] proved to be a virulent strep throat in between writing this and posting it, details are available here.] It is not in my nature to be able to stay home guilt-free without accomplishing *something*, so [...]

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