Name: Fragrant chicken noodle soup with ginger and turmeric
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 litres (12 cups) butcher-quality chicken stock; 1 chicken (about 1.5kg), rinsed, patted dry; 2 lemongrass stalks (white part only), thinly sliced; 6 small dried red chillies; 2 tsp each coriander seeds and cumin seeds; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 5 red shallots, coarsely chopped; 2 tbsp finely chopped ginger; 2 tsp finely chopped fresh turmeric; 200 gm dried Vietnamese vermicelli (bun tuoi); To season: fish sauce and lime juice; To serve: Chinese chives, coriander and lime wedges; Fried shallots and garlic; For deep-frying: vegetable oil; 6 red shallots, thinly sliced on a mandolin; 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced on a mandolin

Fragrant chicken noodle soup with ginger and turmeric

Turmeric, ginger, chilli and broth - just what the doctor ordered.

Overhead shot of a white bowl with turmeric soup, noodles and chicken, garnished with chopped coriander and fried shallots — Fragrant chicken noodle soup

Serves 6

Prep

30M

Cook

1H 30M

Total

This chicken noodle soups bears some similarities with Indonesia’s soto ayam: a turmeric broth, poached chicken, vermicelli noodles, plus a garnish of fried shallots. Throw in lemongrass and ginger, and a good dose of chilli, and you have a near-perfect restorative. The soup base can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ready to go when needed.

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Ingredients

3 litres (12 cups) butcher-quality chicken stock

1 chicken (about 1.5kg), rinsed, patted dry

2 lemongrass stalks (white part only), thinly sliced

6 small dried red chillies

2 tsp each coriander seeds and cumin seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

5 red shallots, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped ginger

2 tsp finely chopped fresh turmeric

200 gm dried Vietnamese vermicelli (bun tuoi)

To season: fish sauce and lime juice

To serve: Chinese chives, coriander and lime wedges

Fried shallots and garlic

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

6 red shallots, thinly sliced on a mandolin

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced on a mandolin

Method

1.Bring stock to the boil over high heat in a very large saucepan, add chicken and lemongrass, and bring back to the boil, then reduce heat to low-medium, simmer for 10 minutes, then turn off heat, cover with a lid and leave to continue cooking chicken in stock until juices run clear when pierced with a skewer (1½ hours). Remove chicken from stock and, when cool enough to handle, tear meat into bite-size pieces. Strain stock, return to saucepan with chicken meat, season to taste and set aside.

2.Dry-roast chillies over medium-high heat until fragrant and toasted (30-40 seconds) and reserve for serving. Dry-roast whole spices in same pan until fragrant (10-20 seconds), finely grind with a mortar and pestle, then add shallots, ginger, turmeric and a pinch of salt and pound to a smooth paste. Reserve.

3.Place noodles in a large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and stand until cooked al dente (2-4 minutes). Drain and leave to cool slightly, then chop with scissors into serving bowls.

4.For fried shallots and garlic, heat 5cm oil in a wok or small saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add shallots and stir-fry until golden brown and crisp (1-2 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, then repeat with garlic. Strain and reserve oil.

5.Heat 1 tbsp reserved shallot oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add shallot paste and stir continuously until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add to chicken broth, bring to the boil, season to taste with fish sauce and lime juice, then pour into bowls over vermicelli noodles. Scatter with dry-roasted chilli, fried shallots and garlic and herbs, drizzle with shallot oil to taste (see note) and serve with lime wedges.