chicken stock (or vegetable if you want to make this vegetarian)
oil for sweating off vegs
2 onions - sliced
2 sticks celery - chopped small
4/5 cloves garlic - crushed
1 courgette - peeled then peeled into slices
4 carrots - chopped
1 leek - sliced
2/3 clumps frozen spinach
cup frozen peas
1 chilli - chopped small (leave seeds in depending on how you like your heat)
optional - chinese leaf - chopped into slices
salt and pepper
Put oil in a large pan, then add the onion and the celery. Sweat off for a few minutes. Next add the garlic and the courgette, then the carrots. Give it all a good stir then add the leek, spinach, frozen peas and chilli - cook for a couple of minutes before adding the stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for half an hour.
Add your chinese leaf if using and check the seasoning. Serve after 5 mins.
Sometimes I add rice noodles when I add the chinese leaf. I would serve with crusty bread.
Sometimes I make dumplings (4oz SR flour, 2oz suet, water to make a firm dough, salt) to go with it. I would make these, put them on top of the soup then place in the oven for 20 mins (180C) until the top of the dumplings are just brown.
