Vegetable Thukpa (One-Pot Veg Noodle Soup)
Clear ginger-garlic broth with cabbage, carrots, beans, and eggless wheat noodles. Optional soy for depth; lemon and herbs to finish.
Ingredients
Broth and vegetables
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil or 1 tablespoon oil + 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf optional
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 small tomato finely chopped, optional
- 1 to 2 green chilies slit
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder optional
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce optional
- 4 to 5 cups water or low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 vegetable stock cube optional if using water
- 2 cups green cabbage shredded
- 1 medium carrot sliced half moons
- 8 to 10 french beans cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 small capsicum sliced, optional
- 4 to 5 button mushrooms sliced, optional
- Salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar optional
Noodles
- 200 to 250 grams dry eggless wheat noodles or rice noodles for gluten-free
To finish
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- 2 stalks spring onion sliced
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
Build the soup
- Heat oil (and butter if using) in a deep pot on medium heat. Add cumin and optional bay leaf. When cumin sizzles, add onion and cook until edges turn light pink, about 4 minutes.
- Add ginger garlic paste and green chilies. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. If using tomato, add with a pinch of salt and cook until slightly soft.
- Add water or stock. Crumble in stock cube if using. Add turmeric, black pepper, and optional soy. Simmer gently 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add carrot and beans; simmer 4 to 5 minutes. Add cabbage, capsicum, and mushrooms if using; simmer 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are tender. Adjust salt; add sugar if needed.
Noodles and serve
- Either cook noodles directly in the simmering broth for the shortest time on the packet (stirring, adding hot water if too thick), or boil noodles separately until almost al dente and ladle soup over bowls.
- Turn off heat. Stir in cilantro and spring onion. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
For leftovers, store broth and noodles separately to avoid mushy noodles.
Gluten-free: rice noodles plus omit wheat-based soy or use certified gluten-free soy sauce.
Optional richness: whisk 1 teaspoon peanut butter into a little hot broth off heat for a milder, rounder kid-friendly bowl.
Spice: add extra slit chilies or chili oil at the table without changing the base broth.
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