This is a super flavorful, warming, and very comforting Asian chicken soup. This is an interpretation of Pho Ga, Vietnamese Pho soup with chicken. Here I add kaffir lime leaves and shiitake mushrooms. That’s how we get a simply stunning flavor. Or you can skip that and make a more classic version.

Vietnamese Chicken Soup with Noodles & Shiitake

Recipe

PREP TIME	COOK TIME	MAKES
5 minutes	150 minutes	3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

1 small chicken (½ chicken or 4 chicken thighs ~500 g, 1 lbs)
1 onion
50 g ginger (2 oz)
4 cloves of garlic

2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
4 sprigs of badian
8 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
4 kaffir lime leaves
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
½ lime
Fresh or dried chili peppers, any hot sauce to taste

To serve:

120 g rice noodles (4,5 oz)
1 head of bok choy
8 large shiitake mushrooms
1 tbsp cilantro leaves
1 bunch of mint leaves
2 tbsp chopped green onions

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice the onion into 4 pieces and the ginger into circles. Add the vegetable oil to a saucepan and fry the vegetables until the sides are dark black.
Chop the chicken into large chunks. Add the chicken to the pot, cover with 2.5 liters of cold water, and bring to a boil. Remove the foam and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat. The broth should be just below boiling.
Add the garlic cloves, coriander seeds, cinnamon, badian, kaffir lime, sugar, chili, and fish sauce. Cover and cook for 1.5 hours over very low heat.
Add the coarsely chopped mushrooms and simmer for another 15 minutes.
At the end, salt well. Taste the broth, it should be slightly over-salted.
Strain the broth through a sieve. Take the chicken off the bone. Save the shiitake.
Boil the noodles as indicated on the package. Drain in a colander.
Cut the bok choy into 2 pieces, rinse well, and boil for 3-4 minutes in boiling water. It should stay crispy.
Put the noodles, chicken, a bok choy half, and shiitakes into bowls or soup plates. Pour in the broth. Sprinkle herbs on top. Drizzle with lime juice and serve.