Asian Recipes and Cooking Guide

Cooking Tips, Kitchen Skills and Recipes.....

Ginger and lemongrass add an aromatic note to this very tasty and refreshing soup, which can be served as a light lunch or even as an appetizer before the main meal. It is easy and quick to prepare.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

150 g/5 oz boneless chicken breast portion, cut into thin strips

2.5 cm/1 in piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped

5 cm/2 in piece lemongrass stalk, finely chopped

1 red chili, seeded and thinly sliced

8 baby corn cobs, halved lengthways

1 large carrot, cut into thin sticks

1 liter/1.75 pints/4 cups hot chicken stock

4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced

12 small shiitake mushrooms, sliced

115 g/4 oz/1 cup vermicelli rice noodles

30 ml/2 tablespoons soy sauce

Salt and ground black pepper

Method:

1. Place the chicken strips, chopped ginger, chopped lemongrass and sliced chili in a Chinese sand pot. Add the halved baby corn and the carrot sticks. Pour over the hot chicken stock and cover the pot.

2. Place the Chinese sand pot in an unheated oven. Set the temperature to 200^oC/400^oF/Gas 6 and cook the soup for 30-40 minutes, or until the stock is simmering and the chicken and vegetables are tender.

3. Add the spring onions and the mushrooms, cover and return the pot to the oven for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for the required time, following the packet instructions.

5. Stir the soy sauce into the soup, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required.

6. Drain the noodles and divide them among four warmed serving bowls. Divide the soup between the bowls and serve immediately.

Happy Cooking,

Carol