Restorative Goji Black Tea Vegetable Soup with Mushrooms and Ginger

If there is one staple in team teapasar’s kitchen, it would be this light and delicious broth – especially on lazier days when we just want a quick fix for our hunger pangs. Plus, it has all the flavorful nutrients that we need from Infusion-de-vie’s Restore tea and whatever greens we can find in the fridge to nourish ourselves. It gets in natural sweetness from the apple and soothing taste from the tea blend, which feels like spring with every sip.

Ingredients

• 2 Infusion-de-vie Restore teabags
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 1/2 cups hot water
• 1 small apple
• 1tbsp minced ginger
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 200g assorted mushrooms
• 4 stalks kailan
• 1 lotus root
• 1 carrot
• salt and pepper, to taste
• alfafa sprouts, for garnish

Method

1. Empty contents of teabag and steep in hot water. Set aside for later use. 
2. Give the kailan and mushrooms a quick rinse (do not slice them). Slice apple, carrot and lotus root. Set aside.
3. In a saucepan, heat up sesame oil and fry minced ginger till fragrant. Add carrot and lotus root slices and sauté for 3-5 minutes.
4. Strain tea but retain the goji. Pour goji, tea and vegetable broth into the saucepan. Bring it to a boil then add apple slices. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms and kailan. Allow to simmer for 1-3 minutes then turn off heat. 
6. Season soup with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Garnish with alfalfa sprouts and serve hot.

Tips: If soup is too thick, add water as needed when simmering. You can easily substitute kailan with spinach or any leafy green to your preference.