Chicken Ginger & Spring Onion Noodle Soup

This recipe is for chicken soup but would work brilliantly with shiitake (fresh or dried). Soak them if dried and allow to simmer in the stock for an hour or so. I make this soup the same way I make Hainan chicken and rice, it’s very simple and cooks the chicken gently which results in soft, poached chicken and a delicate soup. Trust the process, add or remove whatever you like and enjoy.

SOUP BASE

1 whole free-range chicken
70g ginger (bruised with a rolling pin)
3 cloves garlic (peeled and pressed with the side of a knife)
1 onion (skin on and quartered)
4 spring onions (roots discarded, onion left whole)
1 bunch coriander (rinsed well)
2 star anise‍

SEASONING

1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 pinches salt
2 spring onions (sliced)

TO SERVE

Bok choy
Dried noodles
Chilli oil

MAKE IT

In a large pot (I use a 5.3L cast iron pot) add all the ingredients for the soup base. Cover with cold water till just submerged — the qty of water will change depending on the size of the chicken you use. Pop it on the stove with the lid ajar and bring it to a simmer on medium heat — this can take around 20-30 mins. Once it’s at a rolling simmer, skim any foam from the top and discard. Gently move the chicken around the pot, lifting it up and allowing the cavity to drain to allow any cooler water to heat. Allow it to come back to a simmer, pop the lid on and turn the heat off. Leave it to sit for 45 minutes in the hot stock, allowing it to gently poach (this is when you should run yourself a bath to soak in tandem). Remove the chicken from the stock and allow it to cool slightly so you can remove all the meat from the bones (it will come away very easily).

Using a slotted spoon, take out all the other soup base ingredients and discard. Add the soup seasoning ingredients, adjusting them as required for the amount of stock you have (adding more salt or soy if needed). Add the chicken back to the stock and bring it back to the simmer to serve.

Bring a separate pot of water to the boil and cook the noodles and bok choy. Place these in the bowls for serving and ladle the chicken and stock on top. Serve with some extra spring onion, coriander or some chilli oil if you wish!