This is a comforting, low caloric wakame and vermicelli soup, perfect for those looking for healthier snack options! Ready in 10 minutes from start to finish.
Every month or so, my mother mails me a box filled with goodies from Japan. She knows I can’t live without strawberry chocolates, botan rice candy, Kagoshima sencha, instant pasta sauces and seaweed of all forms. Flavored nori sheets, kombu (kelp) for making dashi, tororo kombu (kombu flakes softened in vinegar) as a topping for udon and soba, and wakame (dried seaweed) for salads and soups.
I’m obsessed with seaweed. It has a mineral taste I absolutely adore and is excellent for hair. Seaweed can help hair growth and gives shine to your locks. According to “Alive: Canadian Journal of Health & Nutrition,” omega-3 fatty acids feed hair follicles to stimulate growth, and iron and zinc maintain hair production. Zinc deficiency leads to hair shedding. Calcium, rich in seaweed, is another vital mineral in hair production.
I’ve always been a little worried about losing my hair because my mother has had that issue since she was in her 40s. It’s nothing major but enough that she will cover up the thinning area with hair loss concealer. I’m hoping not to have to go through that so I’ve been reading on how to keep my hair healthy for years now. One ingredient that keeps popping up is seaweed and I have to say I’m not surprised. Japanese women don’t seem to get grey hairs until they are in their 60s. I got my first at the age of 26 – gasp. Since then, I’ve been sprinkling, boiling, drinking, chewing on seaweed as often as I can!
One thing my mother always includes in her packages are pre-made wakame harusame (vermicelli seaweed) soups which are delicious! I could eat those every single day, plus, the fact that they are so light makes this snack even more enjoyable. The only problem is I run out of pre-made packets pretty fast so I’ve come up with my own homemade version of wakame and vermicelli soup.
This dish only takes 10 minutes to make and requires one pot. The broth is made using chicken stock, a little soy sauce, sake and corn starch to give it a velvety texture. The vermicelli noodles are cooked in the broth along with corn, seaweed and egg. Once the noodles are soft, transfer to a bowl and top with scallions and a few drops of chili oil. Savory, silky and nutty – beyond delicious.
Other recipes using seaweed:
Did you like this vermicelli soup? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Wakame And Vermicelli Soup
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This is a comforting, low caloric wakame and vermicelli soup that’s perfect for those looking for healthier snack options! Ready in 10 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
- 20 grams rice vermicelli noodles or saifun bean thread noodles
- 1 teaspoon wakame seaweed
- 2 tablespoons fresh or frozen corn, thawed
- 1 tablespoon cooking sake (optional)
- 450 ml low sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 1 stalk scallion, finely chopped (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon chili oil or sesame oil
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, add vermicelli, dry wakame, corn, sake, chicken stock soy sauce, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat to a simmer, add corn starch and water mix and stir until sauce thickens.
- Add egg and slowly swirl with chopsticks or a ladle in zig zag motion.
- Turn the heat off, transfer to a bowl and top with scallions and chili oil.
Notes
This soup is best enjoyed immediately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 391
- Sugar: 8.4g
- Sodium: 767mg
- Fat: 11.2g
- Saturated Fat: 3.1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 43.9g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 18.8g
- Cholesterol: 198mg
Do you use rice vermicelli or the durum wheat?
I use traditional rice vermicelli noodles 🙂