Roasted Squash and Ginger Noodle Soup With Winter Vegetables
- 5 pounds peeled winter squash, like butternut or kabocha
- Vegetable oil
- 1 large knob fresh ginger, about 4 inches long, cut in half horizontally
- 10 green cardamom pods
- 5 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 to 4 inches long
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- Salt
- 6 to 8 cups mixed winter vegetables, like wax beans, chard, radishes, brussels sprouts, cauliflower or mushrooms
- 2 pounds thin fresh noodles, like lo mein or tagliarini
- Sriracha or chili oil for serving
- Cut 4 pounds squash into large chunks.
- Cut remaining pound into 1/2-inch dice.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- On a lightly oiled baking sheet, place ginger and diced squash.
- Bake until soft, about 20 minutes, turning ginger and squash pieces halfway through the cooking.
- Transfer ginger to a stockpot and reserve roasted squash.
- Add squash chunks to pot.
- Add cold water to cover by two inches, turn heat to medium, and heat to a bare simmer.
- The surface of the liquid should steam but never boil.
- In a hot skillet, toast all spices until lightly browned and fragrant.
- Add to pot along with 2 tablespoons salt.
- Cook slowly until squash is very soft, about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, prepare the winter vegetables, cut bite size, until just tender, blanching wax beans, chard or radishes; roasting brussels sprouts or cauliflower; or searing mushrooms.
- When broth is done, pour it through a strainer and lightly press on squash chunks to release all the liquid.
- Discard contents of strainer.
- Season broth to taste with salt.
- Boil noodles in plenty of salted water, then drain.
- Divide among 6 to 8 bowls.
- Divide roasted squash pieces and cooked vegetables on top of noodles.
- Ladle in broth just to cover noodles and serve immediately.
winter, vegetable oil, ginger, green cardamom pods, anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, salt, winter vegetables, noodles, chili oil
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013452 (may not work)