Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, which is lighter and less intense, utterly delicious nonetheless, but without causing the numbing sensations to my face
INGREDIENTS
1 (3-pound) whole chicken, or 4 cups shredded, poached chicken meat, a mix of light and dark
6 whole scallions
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, crushed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 quarts chicken stock
Fish sauce, for seasoning 1 (16-ounce) package dried rice vermicelli, cooked according to package directions
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
Thai basil sprigs
Mung bean sprouts
Limes, cut into wedges
Jalapeño chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced into rings
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
1. To cook the chicken, place the chicken in a large pot with scallions, ginger and salt and add enough
cold water to cover the chicken by one inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat so
water is simmering vigorously and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand 25
minutes. (Note: If your chicken in larger than 3 pounds, add 5 minutes of simmering time for each extra
pound.)
2. Just before the chicken is ready, prepare a large ice-water bath. When the chicken is done, remove it
from the pot (discarding the cooking liquid) and immediately submerge it in the ice-water bath, which
will stop the cooking and give the meat a firmer texture. Let stand 20 minutes, until the chicken is cool
enough to handle easily, remove from the water, and pat dry. Pull the chicken meat from the bones,
discarding the bones and skin. Shred the meat with your fingers; you should have about 4 cups. (This
step can be done a day ahead.)
3. In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over high heat. Taste for seasoning and add fish sauce, if
needed.
4. To ready the garnishes, arrange the basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and chiles on a platter and place
on the table.
5. Divide the rice noodles evenly among warmed soup bowls. Top each serving with about 3/4 cup of the
shredded chicken, then divide the scallions and cilantro evenly among the bowls. Ladle the hot stock
over the top, dividing it evenly, and sprinkle with the fried shallots. Serve immediately, accompanied with the platter of garnishes.
