Fideo

El Rancho Mexican Restaurant director Jeanette Avila holds a tray of one of the restaurant’s homemade Mexican soups, fideo, which is served complimentary with every lunch order. (Daniel Mears / The Detroit News)

Look for fideo (fidelini noodles) at most Hispanic or Latino grocery stores. Ana Hernandez of El Rancho Mexican Restaurant cuts the vegetables into uniform small shapes for even cooking and a pretty presentation.

• 10 ounces fideo regular (fidelini noodles)
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 gallon water
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup small diced onion
• 1 cup small diced tomato
• 1 cup small diced green pepper
• 1 cup small diced celery
• 1 cup small diced carrot
• 1 cup small diced potato
• 1/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• Grated lemon, optional for garnish
• Crumbled Cotija cheese, optional for garnish

Pan fry noodles in vegetable oil until golden to brown; drain oil. Then add crispy noodles to boiling water and add garlic powder and salt and cook for 20 minutes. Add onion, tomato and green pepper and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Add celery, carrots, potato and crushed tomato and cook an additional 20 minutes. Turn off heat and add oregano and cilantro, stir and cover for 5 minutes. Serves 10.

Serve plain or topped with grated lemon and crumbled Cotija cheese. Serves 10.

Per serving: 169 calories; 3 g fat (0.3 g saturated fat; 16 percent calories from fat); 30 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 738 mg sodium; 5 g protein; 2.5 g fiber.