Red Cabbage Udon Noodle Soup - Purple Udon!

Look at my soup, it's PURPLE! Welcome to the world of food coloring! What kinds of natural food can you think of, to make food colors? I know screwpine (pandan) leaf does a lovely job in making food GREEN. And in fact, red cabbage does a good job in making food PURPLE! Hmmm...what else can you think of?  

Udon Noodle Soup 

Ingredients: Tomatoes, bak choy, corn spears, red cabbage, fresh shitake mushrooms, instant udon, meatballs. Note: My homemade meatball recipe is here. There were deep-fried previously to make Stewed Lion Heads. This is the boiled version. You can use pork and adjust the amount of seasonings. 

Directions: 1. Cook packaged instant udon according to instructions. Set aside. 2. Prepare pot of boiling water, blanch the bok choy and corn. Set aside. 3. Add pinch of salt and pepper, drops of sesame oil into the boiling water, then add in tomatoes, mushrooms, meatballs to the boiling water and simmer till meatballs cook through. When meatballs cook through, dish out and set aside (Note: overcooking the meatballs will make them tough) 4.Add in red cabbage to the soup broth and cook till leaves are softened. 5. In a serving bowl, lay the vegetables (bok choy, cabbage, tomatoes, corn, mushrooms) and meatballs with the udon and ladle soup over the udon. Serve immediately.