Quickie Pho Ga or Quickie Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock, low sodium

8 cups water

3 bone-in chicken breasts

1 large onion, cut in half.

1 2-inch piece of ginger

3 star anise pieces

1 cinnamon stick

2 tablespoon whole coriander

5 whole cloves

2 teaspoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

3-4 teaspoon salt

For serving :

Rice noodles, soaked in boiling water or prepared according to package.

8 leaves of bhandania / chadon beni

2 bunches of chives, sliced

Onion, thinly sliced

Bean sprouts

Shredded carrots

Jalapeño/ cayenne peppers, sliced. You can use any hot pepper you like

Method

• Clean your chicken pieces by removing all skin and fat. Wash as desired and set aside.

• Cut your onion and ginger lengthwise. Roast on a saucepan until charred on both sides.

• Place a deep soup pot on a medium flame and add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and coriander. Allow to toast for a couple of minutes. Add the water, chicken stock, onion, and ginger, and bring to a boil. And add the chicken. Allow to come to a rolling boil again and continue simmering uncovered, without stirring for 20 minutes. DO NOT touch the stock at all!! This will cause it to become very cloudy. After 20 minutes, remove the chicken. To the stock, add the sugar, fish sauce and 3 teaspoon salt. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste for salt, and remove from the heat.

• Plate up: add your noodles to a bowl, together with your chicken. Add some piping hot broth, sprinkle in your chives, hot pepper, torn bhandania and anything else. Stir and enjoy!!!!