Vietnamese chicken noodle soup

This yummy soup is inspired by my travels, I love broths especially if they're bursting with lot's of spice!  The important part of this recipe is the stock, you want it to pack a punch, so don't hold back! All the veggies are sliced super fine and added raw, so it's crucial your stock packs a punch! 😀. The trick is to have all your veggies ready prepared before you serve, it helps having a mandolin, but if you don't have one, view it as good practice for your knife skills! 

The recipe.... Serves 6 hungry people

Stock

 6 chicken thighs

1 carrot

1 bulb of garlic 

a large knob of ginger

3 chillies- kept whole

3 sticks of lemongrass bashed with the back of your knife

2 celery sticks halved 

1 leek halved 

2 onions halved

2 cinnamon sticks

10 cardamom pods

1 tbsp of coriander seeds

3 star anise

3 tbsp of soy sauce 

To finish.....

Rice noodles, cooked 

Chopped chilli 

Coriander leaves

Finely chopped ginger

Toasted sesame seeds

A handful of bean sprouts

Chestnut mushrooms- finely sliced

1 carrot sliced into very thin strips

1 courgette sliced into thin strips

Brocolli broken into baby florets

Soy sauce to serve, drizzled ontop! 

1. In a stock pan place all your ingredients and cover with cold water. 

2. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat so the water is just simmering.

3. Cover and leave for at least  2 hours ( I sometimes make the stock the night before and leave all the ingredients to infuse in the fridge) . 

4. Drain the chicken ( reserving the stock). Set aside to cool.

5. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, take the meat off the bone and reserve for the soup. 

6. Taste the stock for seasoning, add the soy sauce and adjust to your personal tastes. 

Now you ready to plate... 

 1. Make sure your stock is hot, so re heat if needed. 

2. In warm bowls add your raw veg. I like to keep them together, so a little heap of courgette, a little heap of bean sprouts etc 

3. Nest add the warm rice noodles, and shredded chicken .

3. Cover with the stock

4. Sprinkle over sesame seeds, chopped chilli, chopped ginger and coriander.