The gift of noodles/soup

Sadly not many folks are getting gifts from me this year. Part lack of inspiration, part not expecting to actually be able to afford anything, I just didn't plan. And I'd rather wait 'til I think of gifts that are good and fitting than try to scramble and come up with presents just to say that I gave presents.

I do feel in a giving mood however, so I'll share with you my recipe for my go-to meal. I'm not sure when I started making this--high school? College? It's just something I've found that works and that I never get tired of. When I tell people this is my go-to meal, they say it seems pretty involved, but it's really simple to just throw things into a pot and the use of ramen (at least in the noodle recipe) means it can be done in 5 minutes or so.

If you're making noodles, you'll need these basics:

• A pot of water to boil
• A packet of Ramen noodles (toss away the flavor packet). I've tried various noodle types from vermicelli to pad thai sticks, but Ramen works best for texture and portion size. 
• Extra firm tofu (block or pre-cubed. I personally prefer buying it by the block because I may want to make other things with tofu later on--not all involve cubes). 
• Something green. I've done this recipe with spinach, scallions and/or cilantro, depending on what's in my kitchen at the time. I've also tried substituting broccoli, but I find it doesn't work as well. If you don't know what to get, I recommend spinach. It's tasty and you don't have to worry about it losing its texture. 
• Soy sauce. I really like Trader's Joe's reduced-sodium soy sauce but Kikkoman reduced-sodium is good too. Or you could go wild and get the regular sodium soy sauce of your choice. 
• Chili-based hot sauce. Sriracha is my no. 1 choice. Chili in soya bean oil is a close second. I recommend using this second option sparingly unless you have a tongue that is trained to withstand heat.  

These other ingredients can enhance this dish but you can take 'em or leave 'em: shiitake or button mushrooms, a little dash of teriyaki sauce, fried egg.

If going for the soup variety, the ingredients are pretty much the same (though I've never included egg). Of course you'll want to add a vegetable broth or add veggie bouillon to a pot of water for the base. I also recommend adding a dash of hot sesame oil to the water/broth for an extra kick. A squeeze of lime adds a bit of fun too. And if you're like me, a big squeeze of lime (especially if you're fighting off a cold) is heaven sent. If you're not using mushroom with the noodle variety, it works well in soup form.
    
And that's it. My recipe/variants on my recipe. Noodles take 3-5 minutes to make and soup time is up to you really. My sis for instance likes to let her soup steep on a low boil for longer. I can do a longer soup heating at a lower seating or a shorter time at a medium setting--it really depends on how hungry I am.

Enjoy!