Hong Kong Macaroni Soup

• 1 Cup Macaroni or elbow pasta Boiled in a pot of heavily salted water that tastes like the sea. For true Hong Kong style, boil it past al dente. You can also use fun kids pasta like pasta stars or ABC pasta to make it more fun for the kids.
• 2 Cups chicken stock Homemade chicken stock, a chicken bouillon cube or chicken stock powder all work. You will need to adjust the seasoning based on what you're using. Usually, homemade chicken stock contains less salt and no sugar so you'll need to season with those. Substitutes: ½ a stock cube dissolved in 2 Cups of water or vegetable stock. I suggest not using pork stock- it will taste good but it will change the texture of the dish- this is a very light bowl of soup and pork soup is more hearty.
• ⅓ can SPAM luncheon meat Cut into 3-4 slices. In Hong Kong they're usually pan-fried before serving but if in a rush, skip the pan-frying step. I used SPAM luncheon meat- preferably low sodium- but use the Maling brand if you want your Cantonese Macaroni to be extra authentic. Substitutes: Sliced ham or sausage is also a popular choice. Alternatively, to be healthier use shredded chicken. This is actually a great recipe to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey or these Chinese meatballs.
• 1 Cup Cubed carrots and corn Fresh or frozen both work. Alternatively, although peas are not traditionally used in cha chaan tng, you can use supermarket frozen mixed vegetables (Carrots, corn kernels and pea mix.
• 1 egg fried on the sunny side. To be healthier, you can poach it in the chicken broth too.
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil or to taste. Mmakes the soup more aromatic but omit if you don't have it. (Or use 1 of these sesame oil alternatives!)

Optional seasoning and garnishes

• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper makes the recipe taste more authentic but can be omitted
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce or to taste. Only add if using homemade stock. If using a stock cube, omit as the processed meat is pretty salty already.
• crispy sliced shallots
• sliced spring onions