Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

½ a pack of rice noodles (about enough for 2 people)

2 skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon peanut oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

½ teaspoon lemongrass paste

1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or black pepper)

1 pint of chicken stock (add more if you prefer more broth to noodle ratio)

½ tablespoon fish sauce (add more or less depending on tastes)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

2 tablespoons chopped spring onions

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Cooking instructions:

    1. Soak noodles in very hot tap water.

    2. While noodles are soaking, cut chicken into thin strips.

    3. Heat oil in deep pan over medium-high heat; add chicken; garlic, and pepper flakes.

    4. Cook, stirring for 1 minute; then add stock and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Add more stock if you prefer more soup. Add lemongrass paste. 

    5. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is done, about 8 minutes.

    6. Drain noodles and cut into short pieces, about 1-1 1/2 inches long. (Alternatively don’t cut if you prefer longer noodles.)

    7. Arrange noodles in bottom of bowls; ladle soup over the top and sprinkle with coriander, spring onion, and basil.