really simple vegetable and rice soup

And I mean really simple!

You just chop up equal amounts of carrots, celery, onions, potatoes and let it cook in water while you cook rice (I prefer brown). You don’t add seasoning until after the soup is done, so it’s adaptable to anyone’s tastes, and the addition of rice makes this soup almost a congee. It’s great for really cold nights (your windows will steam) and for when you’re feeling bleah.

Here’s how you make it:
Equal amounts of:
carrots (I used 5 sticks)
celery (I used 5 sticks)
onions (I used 1.5 onion)
potatoes (I used yukon gold, about 5 medium sized potatoes)
zucchini (optional)
mushrooms (optional)

a bunch of parsley or cutting celery

Toss all of the vegetables into a pot, pour enough water to cover, and set to boil and simmer until potatoes are soft. Cook rice (about 2 cups in this case) according to manufacturer’s directions or in a rice cooker (which is what I used). Make the seasoning in the meantime (see below). When the soup is done, add rice and stir. Chop up a handful of parsley and stir it in. Let simmer for about 10 minutes or more. When soup is ready, pour into a bowl and add seasoning to taste.

Seasoning:
chopped scallions or chives
ginger
soy sauce
sesame oil
sesame seeds

Mix soy sauce and sesame oil in a 2:1 ratio (I use tablespoons). Add some freshly grated or powdered ginger (about a tsp), finely chopped scallions or chives, and about a TB of sesame seeds. If you have problems with sesame seeds getting stuck into your teeth, grind them into a fine powder– their flavor will still come through but you won’t have to worry about the seeds getting stuck in your teeth.

Please note that this recipe makes enough to feed… oh, I don’t know, an army. You will have leftovers, and due to the rice, it will soak up a lot of water. It’s perfectly fine to add more water when you reheat the soup. You could also use farro or barley as a substitute for rice in this soup.