[This recipe is Rick Stein's Hanoi Chicken Noodle Sup - and is called Bun Thang I think. Mr Stein poaches a whole chicken and then strips the meat to serve with the soup; I had already BBQ'd my chicken breasts and legs, hence this adaptation. The proper recipe features in his Far Eastern Odyssey book, which is really lovely and definitely worth buying]
Add all the Soup ingredients to a large pan and bring to the boil with 2 litres of water
Simmer for 45 minutes or so
Cool for 20 minutes before draining – this ‘broth’ can be cooled, refrigerated and used the next day
(I tend to keep the Chicken – and to remove all the bits of flesh from the poached carcass… It’s a bit dodgy looking to serve in this pretty soup but work brilliantly chopped up and mixed more discreetly into Croquetas)
When you want to eat Noodle Soup… Wash and chop some Spring Onion, Fresh Red Chilli and some Mint and Coriander
Also slice some cold Chicken (Roasted, BBQ’d, Poached?!)
Bring the Soup back to the boil
Cook some Rice Noodles according to the instructions (I sometimes stir fry them with a little Oyster Sauce and half a Red Pepper finely sliced)
Serve each individual bowl with some Noodles at the bottom, some greens (Pak Choi, Cabbage or Spinach?!) and some fresh sliced Red Pepper; topped with the hot Soup which poaches the veg. Let everyone add their own Chicken, Herbs and Spring Onions and Chilli
Just before eating – add a spoonful of Hot Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (this makes all the difference; the Soup is good before, but goes ‘all amazing’ with one teaspoon full of Nuoc Cham)