Ingredients

1) ½ pound chicken, boned, skinned and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2) 1 teaspoon fish sauce

3) Sea salt

4) ¼ cup peanut oil

5) ¼ teaspoon turmeric

6) 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped

7) 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

8) ½ teaspoon sweet paprika

9) 20 1-inch cubes fish cake, deep-fried

10) 5 cups chicken broth

11) ¼ cup roasted chickpea flour

12) ⅔ cup coconut milk

13) 13 peeled shallot lobes, one of them finely sliced and soaked in water

14) ¾ pound boiled spaghetti-size egg noodles

15) 2 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced

16) 2 scallions, sliced

17) Handful of deep-fried rice noodles

18) 1 lime, cut into wedges

19) Red chilies, roasted in a pan and then coarsely ground 

Preparation

Knead the chicken with the fish sauce and a pinch of salt and let rest for 10 minutes.

Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add the oil and turmeric. Scrape in the onions and sauté for a minute. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Stir in the paprika, then the chicken, cooking until the chicken is blanched on the outside. Fold in the fish cakes and 1/2 cup water and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed.

In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Dissolve the chickpea flour in 1/2 cup water and pour into the broth, stirring until the mixture thickens slightly. Add the chicken to the broth, and stir in the coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Add the shallot lobes and simmer until just cooked through. Season to taste.

To serve, place a handful of noodles in each of 4 deep bowls and ladle on a generous amount of chicken and broth. Garnish with sliced (drained) shallot, hard-boiled egg, scallions and fried noodles. Serve, passing lime wedges and roasted chilies.

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