Nana JP Soup

When I got sick as a kid, my mother would often make a simple "soup" of one clove garlic, some butter, water, and "pastina." (Small pasta.) She'd always mention that it was something my grandmother made. (Nonna, but we called her "na-na" as kids.)

I have a cold and started making this soup for myself, but I ended up with this weird thing that had some Japanese ingredients in it as well. Sorry, Nonna. I hereby dub it "Nana JP Soup."

Ingredients

4 cups water

2 tbsp oil (I used olive oil)

1 tbsp fish sauce (Cut this if you want to make it vegan)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp shiro miso

1 onion

1 clove garlic

1 green chilli

3-4 dried mushrooms (I used porcini, it's what I had)

Fast cooking noodles

I used Somen noodles, but you can use anything fine enough to cook quickly in the soup. Alternately, use whatever pasta you have on-hand and cook it separately.

Recipe

Cut the onion finely and slowly saute it in a small pot. Cook it on the lowest heat you can, so that it doesn't brown but just goes soft. (I usually just put the lid on after a minute and let it steam.)

Grate the garlic and chop the chilli.

Add the garlic and chilli to the pot and saute for a minute or so

Add the water and the dried mushrooms, and simmer for 10 minutes. (I heat the water to 100C in a kettle beforehand because I am impatient and sick.)

Bring to a boil

Add noodles, immediately reduce heat to a simmer, cook until noodles are ready

I added some chopped green onion on top.

Now Relax

I was furious for a good chunk of today. Repeated patterns from people I trust and care for, but that continue to cause harm for reasons I understand, but can't condone. These are grown, successful people. It's tiring, but one day at a time.

Cooking this dish relaxed me enough to enjoy it. I hope it does the same for someone else out there.