Asian-style soup is easy to make and so satisfying

This quick Asian-style dish is both light and satisfying with flavor accents you might associate more with a stir-fry than a soup. Use the best canned or boxed chicken broth you can find.

Menu:

Quick Asian shrimp soup.

Watercress salad.

Clementines and chocolate cookies.

Tips:

Substitute cubed salmon or boneless chicken for the shrimp; adjust cooking time accordingly.

Consider floating store-bought fresh tortellini or wonton in the soup instead of rice.

Chicken broth can be replaced with vegetable or fish stock.

Beverage pairing:

Use the same dry sherry poured in the soup as your wine with the meal. Or a crisp riesling from the Pacific Northwest would work well. So would hot tea.

Quick Asian Shrimp Soup

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 28 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

* 2 tablespoons oil

* 3 cloves garlic, minced

* 2 green onions, minced, plus more for garnish, sliced

* 1 piece (1-inch-long) ginger root, minced

* 1/4 cup dry sherry

* 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth

* 1/2 cup rice

* 1 pound small shrimp

* 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wok or skillet. Stir-fry the garlic, minced green onions and ginger until the garlic softens, about 3 minutes. Pour in sherry; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces and becomes slightly syrupy, about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth; heat to a boil.

Stir in the rice; cover. Reduce heat to simmer; cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the shrimp; cook until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; top with sesame oil. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Nutrition information per serving: 644 calories, 33 percent of calories from fat, 23 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 345 mg cholesterol, 47 g carbohydrates, 59 g protein, 1,648 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.