chicken noodle soup
2 min readPreparation time 10 minutes, plus cooling Cooking time 40 minutes 2 chicken quarters, about 750 g (11/) in total 1 onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves,chopped 3 slices of fresh root ginger, peeled and bruised 2 litres(31/2 pints)cold water 125g()dried fine cdes 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 1 red bird’s eye chilli, deseeded and sliced 2 spring onions, sliced 2 tablespoons coriander leaves salt and pepper Place the chicken quarters, onion, garlic, ginger, measurement water and salt and pepper to taste in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes, skim-ming off any scum that rises to the surface.
Remove the chicken, strain the stock and leave to cool. Meanwhile, when cool enough to handle, skin the chicken and shred the flesh.
Cook the noodles in a saucepan of boiling water according to the packet instructions, until just tender.
Drain well and divide between warmed bowls.
Heat the reserved stock in a saucepan with the soy sauce. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.
Spoon the stock and chicken over the noodles and sprinkle over the chilli, spring onion and coriander leaves. Serve immediately.
For aromatic chicken noodle soup, cook the chicken quarters with the other ingredients in the water as for Chicken Noodle Soup, adding 6 large torn kaffir lime leaves. Remove the chicken and strain the stock, then skin the chicken and shred as for Chicken Noodle Soup. Heat the stock in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons fish sauce, juice of 1/2 lime, teaspoons caster sugar and deseeded and sliced red bird’s eye chilli. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place 125(4 oz) dried rice noodles in large heatproof bowl, pour over boiling hot water to cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes, or until just tender, then drain. Serve the noodles with the stock and chicken spooned over, garnished with 1 sliced chillies, coriander leaves and shredded kaffir lime leaves.
