Tomato, tofu and sole broth with rice noodles
Tomatoes cooked down into a sweet-sour broth with silky tofu and tender sole over rice noodles — refreshing and appetising.
- 35 min
- Serves 2
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: People with yin deficiency are prone to a dry mouth, restlessness and poor sleep, and the steamy heat of Grain Buds drains fluids further. Tomato generates fluids, tofu clears heat and moistens, and sole is tender and easy to digest; a sweet-sour noodle soup stays light even on a hot day.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min- 1Thaw and pat dry the sole, cut into pieces and season with a little salt for 5 minutes. Boil the rice noodles for 3 minutes, drain and divide between bowls.
- 2Fry the ginger in hot oil, add the tomatoes and cook until soft and juicy, then stir in the tomato purée and sugar.
- 3Add the water, bring to the boil and simmer over medium heat for 8 minutes, then add the tofu for 3 minutes.
- 4Add the sole and simmer for 2 minutes until cooked, season with salt, pour over the noodles and scatter with spring onion and coriander.
Cautions
- Not suitable if you are allergic to fish; if your stomach runs cold or you get loose stools, add a couple more slices of ginger.
Chef's tips
- Cook the tomatoes until soft before adding water for a deeper, redder broth; add a little more purée if it needs more tang.
The TCM view
Tomato is sweet, sour and slightly cold, generating fluids, relieving thirst and aiding digestion. Tofu is sweet and cool, harmonising the middle, moistening dryness and clearing heat. Sole is sweet and neutral, boosting qi and nourishing yin, and is easy to digest. Sour and sweet together transform into yin, so the dish moistens without being cold, suiting yin deficiency in humid heat.
