The Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup or Pho Gà is one of the most well-known noodles to come from Vietnam. Made with chicken (Pho Ga), it is a very popular type of Pho.  Boneless chicken pieces can be served as chunks in the noodle bowl, or as side dish with dipping fish sauce and ginger.  It is nutritious and makes an intensely satisfying meal.

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Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 10½ oz (300 g) rice noodles (bánh pho)
• 12 cups chicken stock (see Directions for Chicken Soup Stock below)
• 1 whole chicken or 1 lb (450 g) chicken breast
• 10 whole cloves (dinh huong)
• 5 whole star anises (hoa hoi)
• 2 cinnamon stick (que)
• ¼ cup fish sauce (nuoc mam)
• 2 tablespoon (tbsp) sugar
• ½ tbsp salt
• 1 Pho Soup cube (optional)
• 1 store-bought salted lemon
• 4 shallots, broiled until browned

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large pot, cook chicken in chicken stock with rest of ingredients until done for about 30 minutes over medium heat, skimming foam.  Remove chicken.  Strain stock.
2. Cook rice noodle (bánh pho).  Slide chicken thinly.  Place noodles in a serving bowl, top with chicken, onion, spring onions, basil leaves (rau que an pho), chillies and beansprouts.
3. Ladle the hot stock over the top of these ingredients, top with the fresh herbs and serve with the lime wedges to squeeze over.  Pass around the hoisin sauce, nuoc mam or nuoc cham, Chinese hot sauce for those who like a little sweetening, fish flavouring or extra fire.

Chicken Soup Stock – Makes about 12 cups:

• 4½ lbs (2 kg) chicken backbone, neck and wings or
• 1 whole chicken, cut up
• ½" (1.5 cm) cube fresh ginger
• 1 green onion, sliced into 1" (2.5 cm) length
• 12½ cups water

1. In a large saucepan, put all ingredients and bring to a boil.  Skim off scum and fat.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 - 1½ hours.  Skim occasionally while simmering, uncovered.
2. Strain stock through a sieve.
3. When cooled, keep in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.  Remove hardened fat off from the surface.