For my friends with a cold......
Sep. 14th, 2004 12:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
patgundSince a lot of my friends seem to be fighting colds of late, I offer this varient on chicken noodle soup....
Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup (Pho Ga with Ginger)
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
1 chicken; (about 3 pounds), quartered, excess fat removed. (I usually substitute boneless chicken breasts)
2 qt water
2 pieces fresh ginger; 3 inch piece
2 med onions; cut in half
2 tab fish sauce; 1 to 2 tablespoons (Found in the Vietnamese section of most Asian stores)
1 tab black peppercorns
1 1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 lb rice noodles thin or medium-width
1 pinch salt
1 can chicken broth; - 14 ounce can, defatted, reduced sodium
2 shallots; thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 cup fresh cilantro; coarsely chopped
1/2 cpu coarsely chopped fresh rau ram (vietnamese coriander) or fresh mint
2 limes; cut into wedges
Instructions
Rinse chicken, including heart, neck and giblets. (reserve liver for another use). Place in a large pot. Add 2 quarts water, or enough to just
cover chicken, and bring to a boil over high heat.
As water is heating, scorch 1 piece of ginger and the onion pieces (see note 1 below). Add scorched ginger and onions to soup.
Once water comes to a boil, skim off foam and reduce heat to low. Add 1 tablespoon fish sauce and peppercorns; simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is cooked, 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove chicken from broth and set aside to cool; slightly. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from the bones, shred coarsely and set aside; discard bones, giblets, skin and fatty pieces.
Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and strain into a bowl. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. SKim fat from the surface. (the soup can be prepared ahead to this point. Store the broth and chicken in separate covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The broth can be frozen for up to 1 month.)
Shortly before serving, bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Place bean spouts in a sieve or colander and immerse in boiling water for 20 to 30 seconds. Rinse with cold water; set aside to drain. Bring water back to a boil and drop in rice noodles. Cook just until softened but not mushy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.
Scorch remaining piece of ginger, then coarsely chop. Place scorched ginger and salt in a mortar and pestle or food processor and work into a paste. Set aside.
Place homemade and canned broth in a pot and heat to simmering. Season with additional fish sauce if desired.
Divide noodles among 4 large soup bowls. Distribute bean sprouts over noodles; top with chicken and shallots. Ladle hot broth over; add a dollop of the reserved ginger paste. Sprinkle with cilantro and rau ram (or mint). Serve at once, with small plates of remaining shallots and herbs, a small bowl of remaining ginger paste and lime wedges, so guests can adjust flavorings as they wish.
NOTE 1 -- To scorch ginger and onion -- If you have a gas burner, use tongs to hold ginger and onion pieces in the flame until charred. If you have an electric burner, heat a dry heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add ginger and onion pieces and turn until blackened on all sides.
Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup (Pho Ga with Ginger)
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
1 chicken; (about 3 pounds), quartered, excess fat removed. (I usually substitute boneless chicken breasts)
2 qt water
2 pieces fresh ginger; 3 inch piece
2 med onions; cut in half
2 tab fish sauce; 1 to 2 tablespoons (Found in the Vietnamese section of most Asian stores)
1 tab black peppercorns
1 1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 lb rice noodles thin or medium-width
1 pinch salt
1 can chicken broth; - 14 ounce can, defatted, reduced sodium
2 shallots; thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 cup fresh cilantro; coarsely chopped
1/2 cpu coarsely chopped fresh rau ram (vietnamese coriander) or fresh mint
2 limes; cut into wedges
Instructions
Rinse chicken, including heart, neck and giblets. (reserve liver for another use). Place in a large pot. Add 2 quarts water, or enough to just
cover chicken, and bring to a boil over high heat.
As water is heating, scorch 1 piece of ginger and the onion pieces (see note 1 below). Add scorched ginger and onions to soup.
Once water comes to a boil, skim off foam and reduce heat to low. Add 1 tablespoon fish sauce and peppercorns; simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is cooked, 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove chicken from broth and set aside to cool; slightly. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from the bones, shred coarsely and set aside; discard bones, giblets, skin and fatty pieces.
Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and strain into a bowl. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. SKim fat from the surface. (the soup can be prepared ahead to this point. Store the broth and chicken in separate covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The broth can be frozen for up to 1 month.)
Shortly before serving, bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Place bean spouts in a sieve or colander and immerse in boiling water for 20 to 30 seconds. Rinse with cold water; set aside to drain. Bring water back to a boil and drop in rice noodles. Cook just until softened but not mushy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.
Scorch remaining piece of ginger, then coarsely chop. Place scorched ginger and salt in a mortar and pestle or food processor and work into a paste. Set aside.
Place homemade and canned broth in a pot and heat to simmering. Season with additional fish sauce if desired.
Divide noodles among 4 large soup bowls. Distribute bean sprouts over noodles; top with chicken and shallots. Ladle hot broth over; add a dollop of the reserved ginger paste. Sprinkle with cilantro and rau ram (or mint). Serve at once, with small plates of remaining shallots and herbs, a small bowl of remaining ginger paste and lime wedges, so guests can adjust flavorings as they wish.
NOTE 1 -- To scorch ginger and onion -- If you have a gas burner, use tongs to hold ginger and onion pieces in the flame until charred. If you have an electric burner, heat a dry heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add ginger and onion pieces and turn until blackened on all sides.
