Just a few weeks ago, I made a brand new discovery: manchows.
Equal parts spicy and tart, this soup is of Indochinese origin, making it the perfect recipe for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and a surefire way to soothe your cold-weather sinuses.
My first taste of the city was at Nawabi Hyderabad House. Although it is the first locally owned franchise in Orlando, and is well established in other parts of the country and internationally, its first location appeared in Houston, Texas.
While we were having a beautiful lamb biryani with fried gobi here at Lake Mary, our server appeared with a piping hot bowl of vegetarian manchow (the restaurant also sells a chicken version).
“Are you sure you want it spicy?” she asked me.
I nodded.
I think she and some of the other staff members were betting on me being able to handle it.
Nawabi Hyderabadi House Lake Mary Hot Things | Review
I did that. In fact, I enjoyed it. But be careful. Even for me, it’s a barn burner.
This thick, slurry-like soup has a sour taste that softens the spiciness. For me, it was like an amalgamation of egg drops, tom yum goong, and Satan’s garden chili.
The acidity comes from the rice vinegar, but the recipe below by Dassana Amit of Dassana’s Veg Recipes says you can add white to it. I’ve also seen other recipes that recommend apple cider vinegar.
I decided to use both green and red chilies for my first round in the kitchen, and while it was quite spicy (probably too spicy for many), it still fell short of the version served at Nawabi, so this will be my north star as I continue my practice.
There is nothing difficult in making a manchow. The “worst part” is that you have to spend a lot of time chopping and julienne the vegetables, but the end result is a great soup with veggies in every bite. Some of them, such as green beans and cabbage, still have a crunchy texture, and even though they are light, they still have a firm texture.
Fried noodles, a traditional topping here, add more bulk while pleasantly softening over time. The texture changes depending on the mancho. You can always add more.
I’m not a big eater, so I made Sandra Lee semi-homemade and bought a package of La Choi to try it. Fresh cilantro is also essential, if you like. But as you’ll see as you read on, this recipe is versatile. And the soup mixes very quickly once cooking begins. This is a great bonus for people like me who need their chicken soup to simmer for at least two hours before enjoying a bowl.
However, next time I’ll throw in some extra Theranos.
enjoy!
vegetarian manchow
Recipe provided by: Dassana’s Veg Recipes (vegrecipesofindia.com/veg-manchow-soup-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-138389)
material
1 tablespoon sesame oil or other oil 1 teaspoon fresh, finely chopped red pepper, or 1-2 green chiles or fresh red peppers 1 teaspoon ginger, minced 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped or 1/4 cup spring onion whites, chopped 1/4 to 1/3 cup button mushrooms, sliced or chopped 1/4 cup French beans, chopped 1/4 cup cabbage, shredded carrots 1/4 cup (grated or chopped) bell pepper, chopped 1/4 cup celery (optional) 1/4 teaspoon black or white pepper powder, or to taste 2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste 3 cups water or vegetable stock 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar or regular white vinegar, 1 teaspoon coriander 2 – finely chopped or 1-2 tablespoons green onion leaves, for garnish, optional salt, as desired
For Yakisoba – Options
(Note from Amy Drew: I used La Choy because I was lazy!)
1/3 cup noodles, oil 1 teaspoon cornstarch (for coating the noodles) Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cornstarch evenly over the noodles Add to medium-hot oil and fry until crispy, then drain on paper towels.
Stir-fried vegetables steps
Wash and chop all the vegetables, mushrooms and set aside. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan and add chopped fresh chilli, garlic and ginger. Fry on low heat for 8-10 seconds and add onions. Fry for 1 minute. Add finely chopped green beans and chopped mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms over medium-high heat until lightly browned on the edges. Add grated carrots, shredded cabbage, finely chopped bell pepper and celery. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat. Add soy sauce and black pepper. Stir to combine. Add water or stock. Taste and add salt as needed. Let it simmer over medium heat. In step 7, make a smooth slurry with cornstarch and a little water. Reduce heat to low, add slurry and mix well. Thicken the soup over low to medium heat. Add vinegar. Turn off the fire. Taste and add additional seasonings, such as black pepper, soy sauce, and vinegar, if needed. If you’re making your own noodles, sprinkle them evenly with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Fry on medium heat until crispy. Drain the noodles on paper towels. Garnish the soup with some fried noodles and chopped coriander.
