Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)

• Chicken breast: 1 whole soup or free-range chicken, about 1.2 kg (2.5 lb): white meat, shredded
• Chicken thigh: dark meat from the same chicken, shredded
• 4 litres water (reduces as it simmers)
• 1 tbsp salt for the broth, adjusted to taste
• 1 tsp chicken stock powder
• 1 tbsp sugar or rock sugar
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled, simmered whole in the broth
• 1 spring onion, stuffed into the cavity
• 2 slices ginger for the cavity, plus a double-thumb knob, charred
• 3 shallots, charred
• 6 coriander roots (or 1 tbsp coriander seeds), charred
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
• 2 star anise (optional)
• 450 g (1 lb) dried flat rice noodles (banh pho), cooked
• 5 lime leaves, rolled and finely shredded
• 1 yellow onion, sliced paper-thin and soaked in cold water
• 1 bunch (100 g) spring onions, greens chopped, whites smashed and blanched
• Basil: a handful each of Asian basil and sawtooth herb (about 30 g), to serve
• about 150 g blanched bean sprouts, to serve (optional)
• 1 lime, cut in wedges, to serve

Method

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1. Rub the chicken with salt, rinse well and stuff the cavity with a spring onion and two ginger slices. Put it in a pot with 4 litres of water, a tablespoon of salt, a teaspoon of stock powder and a whole peeled onion. 0:39
2. Bring to a boil, skimming off the foam constantly so the broth stays clear, then simmer on medium for 30–60 minutes, until a chopstick pushed into the meat brings out no pink juices. 1:13
3. Char the ginger knob, shallots, cinnamon, star anise and coriander roots over a flame or under a grill, scrape off the burnt bits, tie them in cheesecloth and add to the pot for the last 30 minutes only. 2:21
4. Lift out the chicken, rinse under cold water, cool and pull the meat from the bones. Taste the broth and season with the sugar and more salt only if needed. 4:04
5. Cook the noodles per the packet, then rinse in cold and then hot water so they stay separate. Shred the lime leaves, soak the thin onion slices in cold water and chop the spring onion greens. 3:22
6. Fill bowls with noodles, chicken, lime leaves, onion and spring onion, then ladle over the boiling broth. Serve with herbs, bean sprouts and lime. 5:13

Tip. Season the broth at the end: the cook's salt amounts are only a guide. Add fish sauce, sriracha or hoisin at the table if you like. Leftover broth freezes well; keep noodles and chicken separate.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.