Chicken noodle soup

Serves 6 to 8

Bean thread vermicelli, more poetically called glass or cellophane noodles, are often sold in a tangled nest. The noodles are usually soaked before use.

Bean thread vermicelli, more poetically called glass or cellophane noodles, are often sold in a tangled nest. The noodles are usually soaked before use.

2 litres chicken stock
2 chicken breast fillets, skinless
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
5 white peppercorns
¹/ ₂ onion, pleeled
200g bean thread vermicelli
1 ¹/ ₂ tablespoons fish sauce
¹/ ₂ teaspoon sugar
90g bean sprouts, trimmed
12g garlic chives cut into 3cm lengths

To serve
1 handful coriander leaves
2 tablespoons fried shallots
Fish sauce

Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Place the chicken in the pan. Add the celery, peppercorns and onion and return to the boil. Simmer for five minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover, and leave to stand for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, soak the vermicelli in cold water for 10 minutes, drain and cut into 5in lengths. Remove the chicken and allow to cool, before shredding. Strain the stock and return to the pan. Boil, and add fish sauce, sugar and salt. Place noodles in serving bowls and top with the chicken, beansprouts and garlic chives. Pour on the hot stock and garnish with coriander and fried shallots. Serve extra fish sauce to taste.