ffwd - spicy vietnamese chicken noodle soup

This is one of the first recipes I looked at when I saw the book "around my french table". I love Asian flavors, and anything with coconut! Unfortunately, I forgot to pick fresh herbs when I was in Sedona Tuesday, so I had to settle for some from the market.

One of the best things about this kind of soup, is that you get to "customize" your bowl, adding just the right amount of spicy chile sauce, fresh chopped herbs, and in this, case hoisin sauce. I love to mix together herbs: the different flavors of cilantro, mint and basil make an unbeatable combination.

Luckily, I usually have most of the ingredients (including relatively exotic ones) on hand, so this was no stretch. And fast, too!! I made this on a Wednesday evening after work, it probably took no more than an hour. Wonderful comfort food!!! And beautiful too!


My ingredients ready to go: it turned out that I didn't have coriander seeds so I had to use ground, and I used Penzey's chicken soup base





Which is the "Dorie-size" bunch of cilantro?




herbs and spices for the broth, ready to tie up in a cheese-cloth package 



the broth simmering with it's flavoring packet, and chiles, to this you add cooked noodles



chicken breast poached in the soup, ready for shredding along with the condiments: fresh chopped cilantro, mint & basil; with lime, hoisin and sriracha chile sauce



 

the finished soup, ready for serving...yum!!!



 This was so easy, fast and yummy - great for a chilly evening, or even to replace traditional chicken soup when you have a cold!! Certainly, some of the comments by others, or even Dorie's suggestions would be great, but this totally hit the spot!!!