Asian Style Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the soup I crave when the weather cools down, I start getting a little sniffly, and need something to warm me through.

This can be done at two speeds - slow cooked as a Saturday evening meal, or, by taking a few shortcuts, as an easy weeknight fix. 

The fast tracked recipe is set out below. But to do this slowly, replace the chicken thighs with a whole size 16 (1.6kg) chicken, and replace the stock with enough water to cover. Then just let it simmer covered for an hour, and uncovered for another half hour, rather than the half hour covered cooking time in the recipe below.

If you have the time, try and do it the slow way - it just tastes better that way. But the quick method is still delicious.

Asian Style Chicken Noodle Soup  (Serves 6-8)

1 litre chicken stock (preferably something like Campbell's Real Stock)

3cm piece of ginger, sliced thickly

2 cloves garlic, smashed with the flat side of a knife

1 star anise

1 red chilli, split down the middle, seeds in

the bottom half of 1 spring onion, roots and all

1 T fish sauce

1 T soy sauce

1 kg skinless chicken thighs (bone in if possible)

1t turmeric

400ml coconut milk

2 carrots, sliced finely into matchsticks

4 nests dried egg noodles

Handful of mung bean sprouts (you know, the thick ones with lots of crunch)

1 red chilli, sliced finely

The top half of that spring onion mentioned above, sliced

1 small bunch coriander or Vietnamese mint, roughly chopped

Juice of 1 lemon or lime (whatever you have on hand)

Pop the stock in a large pot or wok on a heat and bring to a simmer. Add the ginger, garlic, star anise, chilli, bottom half of the spring onion, fish sauce, soy sauce and chicken thighs. Let the whole thing simmer covered for about 1/2 an hour or so, to infuse and cook the chicken. Remove the chicken, and set aside to cool.

Strain the stock and return it to the pot. Shred the chicken, discarding the bones, and returning the cooked flesh to the infused stock. Add the turmeric, coconut milk, carrots and noodles. Bring it all back to the simmer, and cook uncovered until the noodles are just cooked.

Add the mung beans, sliced chilli, and sliced spring onion. Stir to combine everything. Dish into bowls for serving, and top with a sprinkle of coriander or Vietnamese mint and a squeeze of lemon or lime.