Thai hot and sour chicken soup with wide rice sticks
Instructions:
Some varieties of noodles suggest soaking them in boiling water instead of cooking them; check your package instructions before preparing them. 7 ounces wide rice sticks 6 cups homemade or low-sodium storebought chicken stock 2 lemongrass stalks, bottom 8 inches only, trimmed and crushed 16 slices (1 / 4 inch thick each) jarred or canned bamboo shoots 1 piece (1 1 / 2 inches) peeled fresh galangal or ginger, thickly sliced 8 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves, plus more thinly sliced for garnish 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce Juice of 2 limes 1 tablespoon palm or granulated sugar 4 fresh Thai chiles, thinly sliced 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each), cut into 1 / 2 -inch-thick, 2-inch-long strips 3 ounces snow peas, trimmed 3 ounces oyster mushrooms 1 / 2 cup chopped (1 / 2 -inch pieces) Chinese yard-long or green beans 1 / 4 cup chopped garlic chives or scallions, plus more for garnish
S E R V E S 6
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles; cook according to package instructions, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold running water. Set aside.
- Bring the stock, lemongrass, bamboo shoots, galangal, and 4 lime leaves to a boil in a large pot. Reduce the heat; simmer 8 minutes. Stir in half of the fish sauce, half of the lime juice, half of the sugar, and half of the chiles; cook 4 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken, and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Taste, and add more fish sauce, sugar, or chiles as desired. Discard the lemongrass and lime leaves. Stir in the snow peas, mushrooms, beans, chives, and remaining 4 lime leaves.
- Remove from heat, and stir in remaining lime juice. Divide the soup and noodles among 6 serving bowls; garnish with lime leaves and chives.