Roast chicken noodle soup

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

Place the mushrooms in a medium bowl, add 250ml of hot water and allow to soak for 15 minutes. Strain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, and set aside.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the green parts of the salad onions to get around 4tbsp and set aside for garnish. Cut the remaining white sections into pinkie-finger lengths and then bruise them.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the ginger and white parts
of the salad onions and cook for around 1 minute, until aromatic. Add the chicken stock, chicken carcass, bones, skin and pan juices (reserving the bite-sized pieces at room temperature ready for serving), mushroom soaking liquid and a further 250ml of hot water. Partially cover, bring to the boil over a high heat, then adjust the heat to simmer. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface and add the five-spice powder, 1tsp fine salt, maple syrup, and soy sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Skim off any fat.

Pour the broth through a sieve into a clean pan. (Line the sieve with muslin for a super-clear broth.) You should have around 1.75 litres; if needed, return to the hob and boil down to concentrate the flavours or add water to dilute.

Stem and quarter the shiitake mushrooms, then add to the broth. (At this point, you can transfer the mushrooms and broth to an airtight container and chill for up to 2 days.) Return the broth to a gentle simmer over a high heat.

Meanwhile, divide the noodles among 4 noodle or soup bowls. Arrange the chicken pieces on top in one layer. Top with the sliced salad onion and coriander.

Add the pak choi to the simmering broth and cook for around 1 minute, until bright green and slightly soft. Taste and, if needed, season the broth with more salt, 1⁄4tsp at a time. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then divide the broth and vegetables among the bowls. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with pepper. Serve, with the pickle on the side for a little added flavour and crunch.

NOTE: If you can't find dried shiitake, use 6 medium fresh shiitake, white button or cremini mushrooms and add an extra 250ml hot water to the broth.

Any-day Viet pickle

Peel and cut the daikon into sticks around 71⁄2cm long and 1⁄2cm thick (about the width of a chopstick). Peel and cut the carrot into sticks a little skinnier than the daikon.

Put both vegetables in a bowl and toss with the salt and 2tsp of sugar. Massage for 3 minutes, or set aside for 20 minutes, until you can bend a piece of daikon so the tips touch without breaking. They will have lost around a quarter of their original volume.

Rinse the vegetables with water, drain in a sieve or colander and press or shake to expel excess water, then transfer to a 1-litre jar.

In a medium bowl, stir together the remaining sugar with the vinegar and 250ml of lukewarm water until dissolved. Pour enough of the liquid into the jar to cover the vegetables, discard any excess and allow to sit for 1 hour. Use immediately or keep, chilled, for up to 1 month.