Chinese Cucumber Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Melt butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in the butter mixture until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add cucumber and zucchini slices; cook and stir until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour vegetable broth over the mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool a few minutes.
• Pour soup into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid in place with a towel; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth.

Steps:

• Peel cucumbers, then cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Slice cucumbers as thinly as possible (a mandoline is ideal for this). Mix them in a bowl with soy sauce, vinegar, chili and sugar, then refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
• Add stock, scallions, watercress or arugula if you like, and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning. Just before serving, garnish with herb or herbs of your choice.

Steps:

• Place the broth in a soup pot and bring it to a boil. Add the cucumbers, mushrooms, scallions, salt , and pepper.
• Cover the soup pot and cook gently over low-medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Blend the soup in a blender. Add the extra seasonings-sesame oil, vinegar and ginger- and blend well.
• Refrigerate the soup for a few hours and serve cold. Or reheat the soup and serve it hot as the Chinese do.

Steps:

• Boil 1.4 litres water in a kettle. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the spring onions for 5 mins, stirring frequently, or until softened. Add the cucumber, lettuce and peas, then pour in the boiled water. Stir in the bouillon, cover and simmer for 10 mins or until the vegetables are soft but still bright green.
• Blitz the mixture with a hand blender until smooth. Serve hot or cold, topped with yogurt (if you like), with rye bread alongside.