So maybe it is a bit of a cheek calling lowly ramen soup — that staple of skint students worldwide — deluxe. But this is a really quick and easy meal to make.

So easy it doesn’t even need much of a recipe.

Thinly slice a few small mushrooms. Peel a small carrot and cut thinly on the diagonal. Shred a few cabbage leaves. Locate some kind of protein: tofu, seitan, vegan sausage, etc. I used veggie mutton from the freezer, about 80g (3 ounces).

Then bring 650ml (2-2/3 cups) of water to the boil. Add half the packet of seasoning mix from a package of ramen noodles*, plus two teaspoons of veggie bouillon powder. Add half the block of noodles, and the cabbage, mushrooms and carrots. Simmer for three to four minutes, until noodles are tender and vegetables are crisp-tender. While it’s cooking, thinly slice a spring onion (green onion/scallion) or some chives, and pick a few coriander (cilantro) leaves from the pot on the windowsill.

Pour soup into big bowls and garnish with spring onions & coriander leaves. This makes one ginormous serving, or two servings if you are having something else (like a salad) with it.

* Be sure the ramen noodles you buy are vegetarian… we use Jade brand (curry flavoured) from Aldi, which are marked “Suitable for Vegetarians”.