← Nouns Cooking · Vietnamese

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg whole chicken
• 2.5 l Water
• 5 cm piece Ginger
• 6 shallots (or 1 onion), peeled
• 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp rock sugar or sugar
• 2 tbsp Fish sauce
• ¼ tsp Ground turmeric (optional)
• 250 g glass (mung bean) noodles
• 3 Spring onion, sliced
• 1 handful Coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 3 Makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, very finely shredded (optional)
• 3 tbsp Crispy fried shallots
• 1 Lime, cut into wedges
• 1 Bird's eye chilli, sliced
• black pepper, to finish

Method

1. Char the ginger and shallots under a hot grill or over a flame for 5 min until blackened in spots. Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan for 1 minute.
2. Put the chicken in a pot with the water, ginger, shallots and coriander seeds (in a tea infuser if you like). Bring to the boil, skim well, then simmer gently for 35–40 min, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 75°C (165°F).
3. Lift out the chicken and, when cool enough, pull the meat into shreds. Return the bones to the pot and simmer for 15 min more, then strain. Season with the salt, sugar, fish sauce and turmeric if using.
4. Soak the glass noodles in warm water for 10 min until pliable, then dip portions into the boiling broth for 1 minute and lift into bowls.
5. Top with the chicken, ladle over the hot broth and finish with spring onion, coriander, lime leaf, fried shallots and pepper. Serve with lime and chilli.

Tips

• Glass noodles soak up broth quickly, so add them to bowls just before serving rather than to the pot.
• Add the chicken giblets to the broth for a richer, more traditional bowl.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Vicky Pham Wok and Kin Helen’s Recipes