Living in San Francisco, I feel lucky for having many vegan options when dining out. One of these options is my favorite soup called “Braised Pea Leaves” with pumpkin, pressed tofu, and salted chili broth served at a restaurant called Mission Chinese.
Mission Chinese is a quaint restaurant in the Mission district. Some people frown upon this place, calling it too “hipster” because of its quirky decor and pricey menu items. But I didn’t mind the decor nor the price of the soup. I was more than willing to pay its deserving price for a bowl of its nourishing and delicious soup, with a side of white rice. I don’t mind who dines in there and whether I am indeed among the presence of “hipsters”. I simply enjoy the soup.
But I crave the soup too much that I just had to recreate it so I could have it any time, anywhere. Well, anywhere that has a kitchen. My version is not an exact replication but a personal rendition, an interpretation that has become my new favorite. I’ve added other ingredients such as enoki mushrooms and used a variation of Asian Greens -sometimes snow pea leaves, sometimes yu choy, and sometimes even kale. Basically any greens that have sweet stalk and tender leaves. I don’t braise them, I would just add them to the pot as one of the last steps. I also like to use regular, firm tofu instead of pressed, chewy tofu.
As for the seasoning, I kept the roasted garlic, chili pepper, and sesame oil. I think Mission Chinese uses mushroom broth so that’s what I use too. Anyway, I am completely satisfied and happy with my version that I am excited to share it with you. I think you’ll be pleased to know that it’s not only delicious, it’s easy and quick to cook too.
- 3-4 quarts water
- mushroom broth to taste (see note below)
- ¼ of small kabocha squash, thinly sliced with skin intact
- 4-6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 2-3 Thai chili pepper, minced (see note below)
- drizzle of sesame oil
- pinch of salt
- a bunch of Asian greens (see note below)
- a bunch of Enoki mushrooms, roots cut and removed
- a block of firm tofu, thinly sliced
- 3-5 tablespoons of cooking oil to fry the tofu
- Add water, mushroom broth, and a pinch of salt to a pot. Cover and put to simmer for 5-6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast garlic cloves in a toaster oven for 3 minutes or until they have brown and black toasted spots.
- At the same time, fry tofu on a separate pan.
- Once your soup is simmering, add kabocha squash and let it cook for another 5 minutes or until squash has slightly softened.
- Adjust seasoning to taste. You may add more mushroom broth, salt, or water. Drizzle some sesame oil.
- Put broth to a boil and turn down the heat to a low simmer. Add garlic, mushrooms, and greens. Cover pot and cook for another 3 minutes. You may finish up frying your tofu at this time.
- Lastly, add fried tofu to the pot.
- Turn off heat and serve hot, preferably with a side of rice.
I like my soup mildly spicy. You may use more chili pepper if you want more kick. You may use chili oil or sambal olek in addition to or in replacement for the chili pepper. If you don't want it to be spicy at all, you may de-seed the pepper before adding to the pot or skip it altogether.
You may use any greens that have firm, sweet stalk and tender leaves. Ideally, I like to use snow pea leaves but I've also used yu choy, sometimes even kale.
Growing up, I was always told to remove the skin off the kabocha squash before cooking it. As it turns out, the skin is also edible! So feel free to keep the skin intact; it doesn't have any prominent flavor and it has nutritious fiber.
This soup is my go-to when I run out of time to cook and have only 20 minutes to spare and few ingredients to use. It’s extremely simple, versatile, and delicious. Even though the weather is warming up in San Francisco, it’s never a bad time for some Asian greens soup with a mild kick. Feel free to try it and share with family and friends. This soup is best enjoyed when shared. Thanks to Mission Chinese Restaurant for the inspiration!
I submitted this recipe to the Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck.
