Serves 4

Broth
4 chicken maryland
2 dried yellow shallot
Fresh ginger (a thumb’s size)
Cinnamon, star aniseed, coriander seeds
Water
Salt

Note: Drumsticks (around 8) or a whole chicken are ok, but make sure that they aren’t deboned. Bones make a great broth
Or another way which may be easier is to use deboned chicken and bony chicken parts so that you don’t have to debone them later but still have a good broth).
They have small dried yellow shallot in the fruit and veggie shop next to Coles in Toowong.



Bowl
500 grams rice noodle, dried or fresh
½ yellow onion, thinly sliced, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes and drained
3-4 fresh spring onions (or green shallots), thinly sliced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or coriander)
2 fresh limes or lemons, cut into wedges

Optional ingredients
2 lime leaves
100gram bean sprouts
Fresh chilli or chilli sauce
Pepper
Fish sauce

Method
1. Remove any fatty parts of the chicken, then rinse off. Place chicken into a big pot and add cool water just to cover. Boil over high heat. Use a large spoon to skim off any scum rising on the top.
2. Meanwhile, grill the ginger and dried shallot on the stovetop over medium heat in few minutes until their skin is burnt. Rotate them occasionally. Remove from the heat and let them cool. Use a knife to remove the skin, then rinse off. Slice or chop the ginger.
Note: You can use the microwave to heat them up in 1 minute but the other way is better.
3. Roast the cinnamon, star aniseed and coriander seeds in a pan over medium heat until smelling fragrant. Don’t let them burn. Put cinnamon, aniseed, coriander seeds, ginger and dried shallot into a clean small cloth bag and tie well.
4. Decrease the heat of the broth pot to medium and boil until the chicken is cooked. Remove from the heat.
5. Rinse the chicken under cool water to remove any residue and drain well. Use a knife to detach the meat from the bone. Put the bone back to the pot and boil over low heat in 20 minutes. Add salt. Put the cloth bag into the pot and boil with low heat in 20 minutes.
6. Set the chicken aside until it is cool. Use a small knife (or your fingers) to tear the chicken into thin, long and small pieces.
7. Slice lime leaves into very thin pieces and mix with chicken.
8. Place bean sprouts into 4 bowls then rice noodles above. If you use dried noodles, just follow the instruction to boil them. If you use fresh noodles, dip them into hot water. Drain well before placing into bowls.
9. Add chicken, yellow onion, spring onion and coriander on top.
10. Boil the broth again and ladle into each bowl. Serve immediately with fresh chilli/chilli sauce, pepper, fish sauce and lime/lemon.


Images are taken from afamily.vn and sturinsun.wordpress.com