Apparently I posted this on my Facebook page a while back, but I honestly have no recollection of such an event. This is the closest thing to what my Mẹ used to make (and still occasionally does): a flavor-rich soup dotted with chunks of carrot, potatoes and best of all tender dark and white meat chicken. For the flavors to meld and for the chicken to become toothsome and tender, the broth and chicken, along with all the spices and aromatics, are brought to a boil, then left to simmer over super-low heat for at least a few hours. Your entire house will be perfumed with a heady bouquet of cumin, coriander, and turmeric, all of which are the signature of a fine curry powder. Simple to produce, with plenty leftover to freeze for later if you choose, my favorite way to serve this is lovingly drizzled over a bed of tender Jasmine rice, fresh out of the rice cooker, with a generous sprinkle of rough chopped scallions and cilantro. And just to make this a triple-starch kind of meal, I serve a skinny French baguette, cut into thick fingers and lightly toasted under the broiler, as a means to sop up all of those glorious tawny juices. This is my robust provocation to America's bland chicken noodle soup, an old stand-by that's often touted as "comfort for the ailing", though it doesn't hold a candle to even the memories of slurping down a bowl of this delicious consomme. Bring out the napkins and rev up your taste buds for a taste of Vietnam you'll never forget.
Adapted from Mai Pham's Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table "Bun Cari: Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken"
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 of a large onion (about 1 lb), diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground chili paste (optional)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
3 tbsp curry powder
1/2 lb bone-in skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1-1/2 inch thick chunks
1/2 c unsweetened coconut milk
OR 1/2 c milk (whatever fat percentage you have on hand; higher percentage = richer results)
4 c homemade chicken stock (see recipe below)
OR
4 c store bought chicken broth (recommended Swanson's Low Sodium Chicken Broth)
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 large Russet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch square cubes
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut on the bias into 1 inch slices
1/2 c cilantro, stems and leaves rough chopped
1 c shredded romaine
1 c bean sprouts
3 c cooked Jasmine rice
OR
1 lb dried bun (small rice vermicelli or rice stick noodles), cooked per package directions
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Chicken Broth
1 4 lb whole young chicken, giblets removed
2 stalks of celery
2 carrots
1 large onion, quartered with skin on
8 qts cold water, plus more for topping off
1 tsp black pepper corns
1 large bay leaf
Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot, cover and bring to a boil. Remove cover once boiling to prevent overflow. Allow to boil for at least 20 minutes before lowering heat. Simmer for at least 4 hours, carefully skimming any scum or muck from the surface every so often. Drain through a fine mesh sieve, separating chicken from aromatics. Remove skin from chicken, then chunk or shred the flesh; set aside for later use. Should produce about 4- 32 ounce containers of clear stock.
Directions
1. Heat oil in a medium pot over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and stir fry until onion turns translucent (watch this step carefully, as minced garlic has a tendency to burn quickly). Add the chili paste, cayenne (if using either) and chicken and stir to coat, and until all sides are lightly toasted, about 3-5 minutes. Add chicken broth, turmeric and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer
2. Add potato and carrots and continue to simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in coconut milk and fish sauce and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes.* Taste and season with either more fish sauce or salt, but go sparingly because flavor and salinity will intensify as it sits. When you are pleased with the flavor, arrange a scoop of rice in the center of a shallow saucer and course a hearty ladle or two of the soup over it. Alternately, if using noodles, reheat a serving until they are tender and steaming before adding soup. Shower with cilantro and scallions and a heavy grind of freshly cracked pepper over all. Serve plates of Romaine lettuce, cilantro and bean sprouts and freshly toasted fingers of French baguette bread family style for people to add as they please. SOUP IS ON, BABY!
* Adding the fish sauce at the last minute like this will prevent the strong aroma from permeating throughout your house. Additionally, adding the coconut milk/milk at the last second will prevent curdling.
No comments:
Post a Comment