Sufra Dayma:

Vegetable and Beef Soup

By Moushira Abdel-Malek

---

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

500 gms lean tender beef (cut into strips)

4 spring onions (sliced diagonally)

1 leek (halved and sliced with parts of leaves)

2 cups shredded Chinese cabbage

150 gms instant noodles (2 packs)

100 ml soy sauce

1 litre chicken stock

250 gms fresh button mushrooms

1 tbsp sugar

Butter + oil

Salt + pepper + allspice + grated nutmeg

Method:

Place the noodles in a large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave to stand for 5 minutes, then drain (do not use flavours in packs). Heat butter and oil in a large cooking pan. Add onion and leek, over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes. Add beef, sugar and seasoning. Stir fry for a few minutes then add mushrooms, soy sauce, stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beef is tender. Add the cabbage and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in noodles. Serve with crusty bread as a starter.