Asian Pho Noodle Soup (our favorite recipe)

I love soups.  Soups make my world go round.  Simmering, savory, sublime....soups.  

I would serve soup for every meal.

But my family would not be so thrilled.  It's rare that I find a soup everyone loves.  So imagine my complete excitement when all seven of us finished off every lost drop and begged for more.  I was ecstatic people.  And my family is in LOVE with this absolutely delicious, warm, fragrant, pho noodle-y goodness of a dish.

It would be cruel not to share.

Cruel.

So here's the recipe...

Asian Pho Noodle Soup

Time: 35-40 mins

Broth:

Boil bone-in chicken breast (or leg, whatever's handy) in large pot with about 4 quarts water 

2 tsp freshly minced ginger

3 pods minced garlic

Bring broth to boil and let simmer for about 20 mins.

Remove chicken. (You can save this chicken for another recipe and add sesame chicken with directions below) 

Add to broth:

2 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs hoisin sauce

A dash of sesame oil

1 Tbs natural sugar

Let this simmer while you prepare the chicken:

Sesame chicken:

Slice one chicken breast into thin strips about 1 1/2 inches long

Add to skillet with 1 T sesame oil

Cook until chicken is no longer pink and add to the broth, scraping pot into the soup

(this was my husband's idea and he sauteed it while I worked on the soup--it turned out delicious!)

Finally add to soup:

2 Tbs chopped green onions

1/8 tsp salt (test soup first to see if this is necessary)

1 Tbs fresh lime juice

2 c. thinly sliced strips of Napa Cabbage

1 box flat rice noodles 

Let flavors mingle and noodles soften for about 10 mins.  

Then turn off the heat and let it set and do it's magic for another 5 mins. or so

Serve with cilantro and wedge of lime.  

I also served mushrooms in a separate dish for those of mine who like their flavor.

And then prepare to fall in love...