Chicken and Cellophane Noodle Soup

• 3 quarts (12 cups) chicken stock, homemade or quick version (page 317)
• 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3/4-inch chunk yellow rock sugar (about 3/4 ounce)
• Salt
• 4 dried wood ear mushrooms, reconstituted (page 334), trimmed, and cut into 1/4-inch wide strips (about 1/3 cup)
• 1/2 pound cellophane noodles, soaked in hot water until pliable, drained, and cut into 6-inch lengths
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh Vietnamese coriander or cilantro leaves, finely chopped or whole
• Black pepper
• 2 or 3 Thai or serrano chiles, thinly sliced (optional)

1. In a large pot, bring the stock to a boil over high heat.
2. Drop in the chicken breast.
3. When the water starts bubbling at the edges of the pan, remove the pan from the heat and cover tightly.
4. Let stand for 20 minutes.
5. Th e chicken breast should be firm yet still yield a bit to the touch.
6. Remove it and let cool, then shred with your fingers into small bite-sized pieces, pulling the meat along its natural grain.
7. Set aside.
8. Add the fish sauce and rock sugar to the stock and then bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
9. Taste and add salt, if necessary.
10. Add the chicken, mushrooms, and noodles.
11. As soon the soup returns to a boil, remove from the heat.
12. The noodles will have become clear and plump.
13. Taste once more to check the seasoning and adjust with fish sauce or salt.
14. Ladle into soup bowls.
15. Because the noodles are slippery, hold a ladle in one hand to scoop up some soup and chopsticks in the other hand to move noodles into the ladle.
16. Garnish with a sprinkle of the Vietnamese coriander and lots of pepper.
17. Serve immediately.
18. Pass the chiles at the table.

chicken, chicken breast, fish sauce, sugar, salt, mushrooms, noodles, fresh vietnamese coriander, black pepper, serrano chiles

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chicken-and-cellophane-noodle-soup-382924 (may not work)