Foodie Friday: Asian Chicken Noodle Broth

 

So I recently rediscovered my local library. As a child, I used to LOVE going to the library. I’d go every week, maybe twice a week. I had to beg my Mum to let me go on my own. I used to use other family members’ library cards to get out extra books (like my Dad’s to get books for the adult section). And I just couldn’t wait to be able to get my own adult card, so I could get more books out. It was at the library where I started using the internet as well. This changed when I moved out to the country and while I wasn’t far at all from the library, I got distracted with school, friends, boyfriends, college, well you get the drift.

So just before Christmas I decided to join again. And I’m glad I did. Mainly cos I can now read all the cook books I wanted to read! One of the first ones I took out was Jamie Oliver’s Ministry Of Food. And the recipe for Asian Chicken Noodle Broth jumped out, it looked just like something I had at Wagamama in Cork. So I was dying to try it. I changed it a bit, not too much really, mainly because I didn’t some things on hand (such as ginger!). It’s quick and easy to make too.

Asian Chicken Noodle Broth

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tablespoon mixed seeds (I used pumpkin and sunflower)

1 handful of cashew nuts

1 litre of chicken stock

2 pieces of chicken breasts

2 teaspoons of mild chilli powder

1 cloves of garlic

1 sweet pepper

100g noodles

Mixed veg of choice (I used sugar snap peas, baby corn, baby carrots. Asparagus is suggested in original recipe)

Soy Sauce

Salt and pepper

 

1. Put frying pan on medium heat and while it’s heating up, add nuts and seeds. Put a large pan on high heat and add stock.

2. While nuts are heating through, slice the chicken breasts into 3 long strips and put into a bowl. Add chilli powder (or Five-Spice powder), salt and pepper and stir.

3. Once seeds and nuts are done, remove from heat and set aside. Replace pan on medium heat, add some cooking oil and cook chicken for 5 minutes or so, until brown.

4. While chicken is cooking, crush, peel and dice garlic and slice up sweet pepper. Remove lid from the chicken stock and add half the sweet pepper, garlic, noodles, vegetables and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. By the time the veg and noodles are finished, the chicken should be ready.

5. Check chicken is done by slice on piece lengthways. If cooked all the way through, remove all chicken from pan and cut in half length ways.

6. To serve, pour broth mixture into bowls and add the chicken to each bowl. Scatter with seeds, nuts and remaining sweet pepper.

Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food