Noodles in Spicy Lemongrass Broth

A note on the chilies: If you (or someone you’re feeding this to) can’t handle spicy food, I recommend cutting the chilies down to 1 or skipping them altogether. You can serve sriracha sauce alongside the soup for those who do like more heat.

First, prepare the broth. Rinse the lemongrass and cut off and discard tough tops and root ends. Peel off and discard the coarse outer leaves. With the flat side of a knife, crush the inner lemongrass stalk. Chop cilantro leaves and set aside for garnish. Reserve the cilantro stems—these are what you will use in the broth.

In a soup pot, combine the crushed lemongrass, cilantro stems, 1/4 cup green onions, ginger, chilies, garlic cloves, ground pepper and vegetable broth. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Then pour broth through a strainer over a large bowl and discard the solids.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Divide noodles between two to three soup bowls. Top with tofu and 1 baby bok choy per bowl. Ladle broth over noodles. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and remaining 1/4 cup green onions.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Sunset Magazine.