best "asian-style" chicken noodle soup

I've been working on this recipe for a while and yet it's pretty simple. But tonight it came out the best I've ever made, and almost the best I've ever had.

So you need:

a dutch-oven type pan or any deep heavy bottomed pan to cook it in

1 boneless chicken breast cut up into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
5-6 cups water
1 Tbsp cooking oil
***

2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp sugar

***

2 Tbsp shiao hsing cooking wine
1 Tbsp chili bean paste

***

1 bunch (at least 8 - 10) scallions chopped (green and white parts)

2-3 oz. wide Thai rice noodles broken up

******

Very simple, it just takes a while to cook.

First sautee at a fairly high heat the garlic and ginger in the oil until fragrant, then add the chicken. Let the chicken stick to the pan, this is important. It should brown and shred a bit while it sticks. Don't let it burn, but do let it get brownish and broken up.

Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about an hour. But after a little bit open up the lid and stir and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pot.

After a while (30 min.) add the soy sauce and sugar.

Continue simmering. Check your e-mail and DU. Fold your laundry if you have any. This isn't fast food. Don't try this if you're in a hurry.

At about the hour mark, add the shiao hsing wine and chili bean paste. Then let it simmer some more covered.

Finally add the rice noodles and let cook for a while until they're expanded and done, then add the scallions and let simmer for a little while more.

In all about 2 hours. (Sorry the timing isn't all neatly lined up, this is soup after all; you don't want to add your noodles too early as they'll get too soft; as well adding scallions too early means their fragrance and flavor will be for nothing, so don't add them too soon to the finish).

Serve and enjoy.

*****

I can think of lots of other things that would make this even better, like a little bit of sesame oil ( I didn't have any ), or maybe some chopped cilantro at the end, but this is all I had tonight, and it was amazing; I think it was the long-simmering.

The power of simmering a few simple ingredients for a couple of hours is incredible.

I hope some of you can use this recipe, but I'm actually writing it down now while I still remember it in the hopes that "advanced search" will soon again be enabled, then I can look it up for myself (heh-heh).

This is some awesome soup. As simple as it is, it's one of the best I've ever had and certainly one of the best I've ever made.

I hope some of you have the chance to try making it. You won't be disappointed.

Happy Cooking,
sincerely,
Barking_23

I make a similar thing with no noodles, just veggies. Let ginger, cilantro stems, thai chilis, soy sauce, and chicken stock simmer for a long time. About three minutes before serving, scoop all of those out and toss in snow peas, snap peas, cilantro leaves, green onions, bean sprouts, and whatever else. Cook for a little while longer to heat up the veggies and serve. Awesome and spicy! Spicy is key.

Suggestions on where I can get the wine and noodles? Thanks!

but you can substitute cooking sherry for the wine and I've seen the noodles on the Asian/ethnic aisle of most grocery stores now. They'll be packaged as Thai Rice Sticks or Rice Noodles or something like that.

It sounds like something I'd really like! :P