Lemongrass is a favorite ingredient in Asian cuisine, and it’s now available at many supermarkets, as well as Asian specialty markets. The stalks can be prepared for eating in soups or stir-fries, or they can be used to flavor dishes with a wonderful lemony essence and then discarded before serving.
In this recipe, lemongrass is used to add a lemony, herbal aroma and taste to the soup. For this preparation, simply cut off the root end, peel the stalks, and cut them in half crosswise. Gently pound the four pieces with a mallet or bruise them with the flat side of a heavy knife. This will release their oils and add fantastic flavor to the soup. Remove the stalks before serving.
Cooking with Rice Noodles
Rice noodles don’t need to be boiled like heartier wheat noodles — they’ll turn mushy if overcooked. Soaking them a few minutes in water that has boiled and been removed from the heat will soften them enough to eat right away or to continue cooking gently for a few minutes with additional ingredients.
Asian Chicken and Rice Noodle Soup
(serves 4)
Ingredients
- 2 stalks lemongrass, peeled and halved crosswise
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 large red bell pepper, sliced into very thin 1/2-inch strips
- 6 oz shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 qrt chicken broth
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp chile-garlic sauce
- 2 tbsp Asian fish sauce
- 2 oz rice noodles
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice
- 2 scallions, sliced lengthwise into very thin 1-inch strips
- cilantro leaves, for garnishing
Preparation
- Lay the pieces of lemongrass on a work surface and gently pound them with a mallet to release their aromatic oils.
- Heat a large pot over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the bell pepper, mushrooms, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, chile-garlic sauce, fish sauce, and lemongrass. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer slowly, about 20 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil Remove from the heat and add the noodles. Let the noodles soak until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Add the chicken breast and noodles to the soup and season with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
- Remove the lemongrass stalks and divide the soup among 4 bowls. Garnish with scallions and cilantro leaves.
Pamela Steed Hill - Pamela Steed Hill is an editor, freelance writer, and home cook. She has published over 250 food articles and recipes online.
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