The Happy Home Cook: Lomi Noodle Soup with Pork, Shrimps and Vegetables

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Lomi Noodle Soup with Pork, Shrimps, and Vegetables (Photo by Elizabeth Ann Quirino)

My version of Lomi Noodle Soup, a popular Filipino noodle dish is a scrumptious combination of pork, shrimps, fish balls, Chinese wheat flat noodles, and vegetables, in a clear broth flavored with garlic, onions and patis (fish sauce). This is one of the easiest soup meals to make. It transcends from being street food, restaurant fare, to a family meal. A good soup broth as the base of this dish will ensure a pleasurable piping-hot and hearty dish. This recipe was inspired by the Quintessential Filipino Cooking Cookbook by Liza Agbanlog.

My version of this soup recipe first published on AsianInAmericaMag.com

Serves 2 to 4
Prep time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients

16 oz. fresh Chinese noodles, flat or round

2 to 3 cups boiling water, to blanch noodles

½ pound pork shoulder tenderloin, sliced thin, 2-inch strips

2 Tablespoons soy sauce, to marinate pork

¼ pound fresh shrimps, peeled, heads and tails removed

2 Tablespoons calamansi or lemon juice, to marinate shrimps

½ teaspoon salt, for shrimps

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1 whole medium-sized onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon patis (fish sauce)

½ pound fish balls, frozen, about 2 cups, sliced in halves

8 to 10 cups chicken or vegetable soup stock

1 medium-sized carrot, peeled, sliced

1 cup shredded napa cabbage

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 stalks scallion greens, sliced, for garnish

Procedure

·      To prepare the noodles: Take the fresh noodles (which are already pre-boiled), and rinse them through cold running water to remove the sticky coating, and to loosen them up.

·      Place the noodles in a colander or sieve. In a medium-sized stockpot of boiling water, over high heat, quickly blanch the noodles by plunging the colander for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain noodles by shaking over the sink. Loosen with a fork. Set aside.

·      To marinate the pork : In a medium-sized bowl, marinate the pork with soy sauce. Mix well. Cover and keep refrigerated for 1 hour.

·      To prepare the shrimps: In another bowl, season the shrimps with calamansi and salt for 20 minutes. Cover and set aside.

·      To cook the Lomi Noodle Soup:  In a large stockpot, about 10 to 12 quarts, over medium-high heat, add the oil. Sauté the garlic and onions for 2 minutes till fragrant and soft.

·      Add the patis and fish balls to the sauté. Blend in the pork and shrimps. Stir around the stockpot to combine the flavors. Cook for 8 minutes till pork and shrimps change color and are nearly done.

·      Pour the soup stock. Stir to mix ingredients. Cover and lower heat. Simmer for 5 minutes.

·      Add the fresh lomi noodles and vegetables. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Mix gently so that the noodles do not break.

·      Cover and simmer for 5 minutes more till vegetables are cooked.

·      Garnish with scallions. Serve piping hot.

Cook’s comments:  The fresh Chinese noodles are thick, wheat noodles, yellow-colored, and pre-boiled. They are packaged in plastic bags, and are found in the refrigerated section of Asian supermarkets here in the USA. These noodles expand after cooking. If you prefer to use dried Chinese noodles, follow the package directions on how to prepare. This is a forgiving soup meal recipe. Add any vegetables in season or preferred. The fish balls can be purchased frozen from Asian markets.


Elizabeth Ann Quirino, based in New Jersey, is a journalist, food writer and member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). She blogs about Filipino home cooking and culinary travels to the Philippines on her site AsianInAmericamag.com.


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