Yakamein
Here’s my take on a New Orleans original!! Good Ole Sober!! Cures you from that wild night of fun on Bourbon Street. Now, this Creole/Asian dish was meant to utilize readily available ingredients. So, leftover cooked meats are welcomed. To those not familiar with Yakamein, this soup can look a little scary! But, trust me, once you try this recipe, you’ll be hooked. Watch me cook….
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound meat chicken, beef, and/or pork
- 1 pound shrimp
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons Cajun spices Tony Chacatere's Slap Ya Mama, etc.
- 4-6 cups beef broth I use Better Than Boullion Roasted Beef flavor
- 1 tablespoon Liquid crab boil
- 1 pound thin spaghetti or dry rice noodles
- 4 boiled eggs
- chopped green onions or parsley
- soy sauce and hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Cut meat into 1/2 inch chunks.
- Season with all spices.
- Toss the meat in the Worcestershire sauce.
- Pour beef broth into a saucepan. Bring to boil.
- Add meat. Reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1-2 hours or until desired tenderness is reached,
- If using shrimp, toss them in the liquid crab boil and add them during the last 15 mins of cooking time.
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Serve with one boiled egg per serving.
Video
Notes
Yaka mein is sometimes referred to as "Old Sober", as it is commonly prescribed by locals as a cure for hangovers. Vendors are common at New Orleans second lines, along with other settings including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, alongside many other Creole and Cajun specialties. One of the major proponents of yaka mein since 2006 is Ms. Linda Green, who caters the dish at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, JazzFest, Oak Street Po’Boy Fest, among other locations and cultural events in New Orleans. The soup is well loved by locals but not well known outside of the city and its surrounding region.