Veg Manchow Soup
A spicy, garlicky Indo-Chinese vegetable soup with a savoury broth, served with a heap of crunchy fried noodles on top.
Veg manchow soup is a bold, garlic-heavy Indo-Chinese soup, thicker and darker than clear soups, and always crowned with crisp fried noodles. Finely chopped vegetables simmer in a soy-flavoured broth that gets its punch from plenty of ginger, garlic and green chilli. The crunch of the noodles against the hot soup is the whole point of the dish. Serve it as a starter or as a light meal on a rainy day. The trick is to cook the aromatics well in hot oil, thicken the soup just enough with cornflour, and add the fried noodles only at the table.
Method
- Heat oil in a deep pan on high heat. Add garlic, ginger and green chillies and sizzle for 20 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
- Add spring onion whites, beans and carrot and stir-fry for 2 minutes on high heat.
- Add cabbage and capsicum and toss for 1 minute.
- Pour in the water or stock. Add soy sauce, chilli sauce, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir the cornflour slurry and add it in a thin stream, stirring continuously. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until the soup thickens and turns glossy.
- Add vinegar and spring onion greens. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and chilli sauce.
- Ladle into bowls and top each with a handful of fried noodles just before serving.
Chef's tips
- Chop vegetables very fine; manchow is a soup of small pieces, not chunks.
- Do not add fried noodles to the pot; they go soggy within minutes.
- Be generous with garlic, it is the signature flavour.
- If the soup becomes too thick on standing, loosen with hot water.
Watch Purna make something similar
Burnt Garlic Spinach Soup
Creamy Corn Cappuccino Soup
What to serve it with
Serve very hot with a handful of fried noodles on top, and extra chilli sauce and vinegar on the side.
Storage
Store the soup without noodles in the fridge for up to a day. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water and fresh pepper. Keep fried noodles in an airtight jar.
Variations
- Add mushrooms or crumbled paneer.
- Use a touch of Schezwan sauce for extra heat.
- Make it clear-style by skipping the cornflour.
Recipe by Chef Purna Shah. More videos on YouTube and Instagram.
Recipe questions
What is the difference between manchow and hot and sour soup?
Manchow is garlicky, savoury and topped with fried noodles, while hot and sour is tangier with strong vinegar and white pepper. Both are lightly thickened with cornflour.
How do I make fried noodles for manchow soup?
Boil noodles until just done, drain, dry fully, and deep fry in hot oil in small batches until golden and crisp. Readymade crispy noodles also work well.
Why does my manchow soup taste bland?
Aromatics were not cooked on high heat, or seasoning is low. Use plenty of garlic and ginger, enough soy sauce and pepper, and finish with a little vinegar.
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