Fragrant Chicken Soup With Rice Noodles

Photo: flickr user avlxyz

Ingredients

1 medium Chicken, cleaned

3 lt Water

Salt

5 Cm knob fresh ginger, peeled

2 Onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Fish sauce

6 Peppercorns

400 grams Fresh rice noodles

2 Spring onions, finely sliced

1 Lime or lemon, quartered

2 Fresh red chillies, sliced

1 bn Asian basil or mint

1 bn Fresh coriander

Fresh bean sprouts, washed and trimmed

Preparation

Place the chicken, water, salt, ginger and onions in a large pot and bring to the boil. Skim off any froth, lower the heat and cook gently for 45 minutes.

Remove the chicken, remove the chicken breasts and legs and return the carcass to the pot. Add the fish sauce and peppercorns and cook gently for 2 hours, skimming occasionally. Strain the stock through a fine sieve.

Remove the cooked meat from the chicken breast and legs and slice finely.

Cut the noodles into tagliatelle-like strips. Pour boiling water over noodles and separate the strands.

Divide the noodles between 4 deep soup bowls, add sliced chicken and top with soup. Add the spring onions.

Serve with platters of quartered limes, sliced chillies, lots of Asian basil, coriander and bean sprouts for each person to add according to their taste.