Macaroni Soup with Ham (Hong Kong Style breakfast)

Macaroni soup with ham (火腿通粉) is my favourite Hong Kong Style breakfast dish that I grew up with, so comforting and delicious. You can pop in any favourite vegetables. I threw in some frozen corn kernels and green peas for convenience.

This macaroni soup plays an important part in the popular breakfast sets available at any traditional Hong Kong cafés. The cafes normally offer 3 to 4 different breakfast sets for their customers to choose from. It could be fried eggs with sausages and sandwiches, or scrambled eggs with toasts.

Typically, one or two breakfast sets would include a macaroni and ham soup.

It’s downright simple as well as comforting. I loved this macaroni soup because it associates with my childhood memories. In many chilling mornings, my father and I liked to have breakfasts together in a cozy, local café near our home. We chatted over breakfasts before we went apart.

After breakfast, he went north to work, I went east to school. The macaroni soup was my favourite choice at that time, as it energized and warmed me up. I couldn’t have the exact macaroni soup with my father again, yet my heart still feels the warmth when sipping the soup.

Macaroni Soup with Ham Recipe

(Printable recipe)
By Christine’s Recipes
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Yield: 2 to 3 serves

Ingredients:

• 250 gm macaroni
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 500 ml water
• 70 gm green peas, fresh or frozen
• 60 gm corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• 200 gm ham
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• boiling water, to soak the vegetables
• sesame oil, to taste, optional

Method:

1. Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. Drain well. Set aside.
2. Soak green peas and corn kernels in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain well.
3. Use a deep large pot, add chicken stock and water. Bring it to a boil. Add macaroni, ham, green peas and corn kernels. Continue to cook. When it boils again. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle a bit of sesame oil on top. Serve in individual bowls immediately.

Notes:

• The macaroni soup that served in Hong Kong café doesn’t contain any peas or corn kernels, only with shredded ham. As for personal preference, I diced the ham to match with peas and corn kernels.
• You might like to use home made or bought chicken stock. I used Swanson chicken broth for a quick fix.