Introduction: How to Make an Asian Inspired Noodle Soup for $2.50
My dollar store, Dollarama, has a wide variety food section.
Alot of the basic staples of the north american diet, and some of an asian diet, can now be found there for much cheaper than they original offer in a grocery store.
Okay, so the noodles are actually rice stick/vermicelli noodles. But they taste alot better.
Step 1: The Required
The required:
Can of Chunk Tuna($1 a can)
2 Shrimp Bouillon Stock Cubes($1 a box of 6, 17 cents a portion)
Rice Stick / Vermicelli noodles($1 a pack, can be divded into 6 small portions, roughly 17 cents a portion(2), and a portion goes a long way)
Dried Mushrooms(7 small mushrooms from a large bag of dried shitake mushrooms that costs $5, equals about 10 cents)
Green Onions(one green onion from a bundle of 10 that costs $1, is 10 cents)
Egg(1 egg of 12 that costs 3$ a carton, is 25cents).
Except for the optional mushrooms, onion and egg; the rest can be found in my dollar stores food section.
Average cost $2.09, plus water and cost to boil it for 15 minutes.
Step 2: The Boil
Combine water, bouillon, egg, mushrooms and tuna into the pot and bring it to a boil for 10 minutes.
Add your noodles and boil 5 more minutes to finish hard boiling the egg.
NOTE: If your using fresh chicken eggs, boil it separately or wash it really well first for obvious contamination reasons. That being said, im not responsible if you contract some disease.
Vermicelli cooks rather quickly, not even a minute in a proper boil. So if you don't want an egg, just wait till the noodles are limp and look 'glassey', about a minute.
Step 3: Egg Slicing
Remove the pot from the burner.
Fish out the egg and run cold water over it till the egg is cold enough to at least hold if not colder.
Peel the egg, slice into portions and put it back into the pot.
Step 4: Soups Up
Go ahead and serve it up.
As I've cooked it in this portion size of noodles, it serves 2 very hungry people.
If you serve it over rice(preferably sticky rice), it can easily stretch to serve 4 or even 6 people.
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12 Comments
13 years ago on Introduction
Thanks for the recipe! (=D
Delish!
14 years ago on Introduction
Has anyone ever tried to make this dish with other flavors of bullion cubes?
15 years ago on Introduction
How much water do I use to cook the bouillon in? Thank you.. wonderful instructions!! I didn't know they made shrimp bouillon
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
would you say the standard 1 cup per bouillon cube? And if you don't mind where do you buy dried mushrooms? Thanks!
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
With the water portion, it depends on how much noodles you put in. Remember, your going to have also the taste of the tuna, onions, and the optional egg and mushrooms. Using too much bouillon cubes is a bad idea. And not enough water means not good for your noodles, or your won't cook your egg enough. As for dried mushrooms, I usually go to either an ethnic store, the organics section of a grocery store, or a bulk-foods store with a large selection. That's another good way of saving money, going to a large bulk-food store.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
It depends on how much noodles your going to use. But at least two cups for a singles serving, and a cup more for each additional person.
15 years ago on Introduction
Looks good. You word you sentences weird. Was this a college dish?
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
College dish, and being to lazy to do proper Japanese noodle soup. As for my grammar. Im a Newfie. nuff said. :}
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
I was starting to suspect that (Newfoundland) when all the prices were matching what I expected them to be and the local Dollarama actually has all the ingredients in stock :) I didn't notice anything strange about the grammar so now I'm also wondering if mine is odd :)
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
wasn't questioning the grammer. I just recognized it as college because It seems like something I'd do.
15 years ago on Introduction
Cool! Not a big fan of the way you presented the pictures, but it is an awesome instructable! Dollar Store Dining!
15 years ago on Introduction
Wow, that looks good. I'm getting hungry now.