Kitchen Sink Kimchee Soup

1. 1

   Bring salted water to a boil in a 1.5 or 2 quart saucepan. Add orzo. The orzo will cook while you make the soup. You can substitute any pasta you happen to have in the cabinet for the orzo, or even use rice - or leftover rice from another meal. If using orzo, cook to very al dente before adding to the soup and drain lightly - that is, leave a small amount of cooking water in the pasta to add to the soup. The gluten will give nice body to the finished liquid.

2. 2

   In a small soup pot (I have a great 4 quart pot that I love), fry red pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger in the oil. Be careful not to burn your ingredients. As the garlic and pepper become fragrant, add the tomatoes. Simmer briefly, then add the bouillon and 2 quarts of water, or 2 quarts of stock. Any kind of bouillon works - I like using Maggi beef flavor.

3. 3

   Bring the soup base to a boil and add carrots. You can add any vegetables you like (or have in the crisper) to this recipe - green beans, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. But carrots are usually the cheapest choice and add a nice sweetness to a spicy soup. Chop and add the kimchee with the liquid from the jar.

4. 4

   Partially drain orzo and add to soup with leftover pasta cooking water. Stir, bring soup back to a boil, and boil for 3-4 minutes. The carrots and other vegetables should be cooked through but al dente. Turn off the heat. Add salt or other spices to taste, if needed. If using kimchee and bouillon, you probably won't need much if any salt.

5. 5

   In a separate pan, fry as many eggs as bowls of soup you will serve. Fry the eggs to barely done - over very easy. Portion the soup into bowls. Slide an egg on top of the soup. When you eat it, you can puncture the yolk and let it flavor the soup. (If you don't like a runny yolk, just cook the eggs a bit harder.) Garnish with sliced scallions if you have any and enjoy!

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.