Recipe: Vietnamese-style Chicken Noodle Soup
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18 May 2011
Gluten free, Dairy free
Organic chicken soup to ward off the cold
This soup is based on the beloved-for-good-reason Vietnamese pho, a fragrant brothy soup served with rice noodles, meat, slivered vegetables and herbs. At once rich and light, complex and refreshing, restorative and delicious the contrast between the slowly simmered, steaming soup and its crisp vegetable garnish is irresistable.
You might serve the noodles and soup alongside a platter of garnishes so people can help themselves to what they like. The chicken and its stock freezes nicely if you have less mouths to feed, and it’s great over jasmine rice for something a little different.
Ingredients (serves 6)
1.6 kg Inglewood organic chicken, rinsed and patted dry
2 small brown onions, peeled and thinly sliced
6 cm piece ginger, peeled and cut into thin shards
6 garlic cloves, bruised
4 star anise
1 cinnamon quill
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, bruised and tied in a loose knot
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground white pepper
1 bunch coriander, washed and leaves picked
2 tbsp Spiral tamari
1 tbsp coconut sugar
2 packets Spiral bifun rice noodles (or other noodles)
½ bunch shallots, finely sliced
1-2 long red chillis, deseeded and finely sliced
2 carrots, julienned
3 limes, halved
herbs such as mint, Vietnamese mint and basil, to serve
Method
1. Place chicken, breast side down, in a deep, snug fitting pot. Add onions, ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, coriander seeds and stalks, lemongrass, salt and pepper. Add cold water to immerse the chicken completely, cover and bring to the boil over a high heat. Turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 35 minutes.
2. Carefully remove chicken from the stock with tongs and carve off the breasts, shredding and reserving the meat. Return the chicken to the stock (this time the other way around), cover and continue to simmer for between 2 and 4 hours (the longer the better!). Remove chicken, shred meat and discard bones. Strain stock and add tamari and sugar, adjusting quantities to taste.
3. Prepare rice noodles according to packet instructions and divide amongst 6 warm bowls. Arrange chicken on noodles and ladle over broth. Top with shallots, chilli, carrot and herbs (including coriander leaves) and serve each bowl with lime.