Pho Ga (Vietnamese chicken soup)

To replicate the Pho Ga soup recipe start by preparing the Pho Ga broth. Take the chicken and place it in a large pot. Fill the pot with water until the chicken is completely covered. For a clear broth, it is important to wash the chicken thoroughly before cooking and remove any feathers that may be present.

Add the unpeeled onion, ginger, lemongrass stalks, star anise, cloves and cinnamon sticks to the chicken broth. Allow the broth to come to a boil over medium heat.

Reduce the heat and let the broth simmer gently for 2 hours. At this stage, I like to add a pinch of salt and pepper. This helps to enhance the flavors in the broth.

While the broth is boiling, prepare the rice noodles according to the instructions on the package. I recommend not to cook the rice noodles too soft, as they will still continue to cook in the hot broth.

When the broth is ready, remove the chicken and let it cool. Then pick the meat from the bones. You can now arrange the chicken, cooked rice noodles and broth in bowls.

To the Pho Ga soup add chopped scallions, red chilies, lime quarters, cilantro and basil. I like the freshness that these ingredients add to the Asian Pho Ga soup.