Chicken and Noodle Soup

Last week I was experiencing what it would be like to live without a dog as Foxtail had fleed the city to the peace of the archipelago. It was an odd feeling not having a dog around. All the time I was expecting him to come around, sniffing, barking, whining or just being there, having a nap. Home didn't feel like a home, but like a very deserted one, and I felt very lonely (despite I usually want the solitude). I noticed alsohow I've arranged my daily life to suit the dog tending. Although I'm always whining how I have to go home straight from work to go walk and feed Foxtail, it's actually something I seem to crave. I tried going straight after work to the sales, but once I got to the center I started feeling tired and not wanting to do any shopping, so I just drank a coffee, watched people on the sunny terrace and then left home to cook this soup (I'm the only one to like coriander in this household).

I love the combination of lime, ginger, lemongrass and coriander. This soup is both easy and quick to make and is perfect for a cool summer day we often have here in Finland. I got the original recipe from a Finnish health magazine's cooking extra (Hyvä Terveys) years ago and have tweeked it here and there over the years. If you like spicy hot, you can add your choice of chili spice, either to the broth or to the chicken. I don't like very hot flavours, so didn't put any. (Scroll down for the recipe - löytyy myös suomenkielisenä.)

Chicken and Noodle Soup

serves 4

1,5 litres dashi stock (from instant dashi is ok)
2 garlic cloves
(1 cinnamon stick - I forgot it this time!)
a piece of ginger
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 stalk of lemongrass
300-400 g ground chicken
salt, pepper (and chili powder/flakes)
300 g wholewheat (or your favorite) noodles
150 g snow peas
juice from a lime
2 spring onions
fresh coriander
 
Bring dashi stock to a boil. Crush garlic cloves lightly with the flat of a knife and the heel of your hand. Prepare the lemongrass stalk by bashing it with the unsharp edge of a knife. Add garlic cloves, piece of ginger, cinnamon stick, soy sauce and lemongrass to the stock. Simmer for at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the chicken, season with salt, pepper (and chili).
 
Remove the garlic, cinnamon, lemongrass and ginger from broth. Add noodles to the soup and simmer until they are almost cooked. Add snowpeas, sliced spring onions (save some green parts for garnish) and cook for a minute or so. Divide to bowls. Arrange the chicken on top, sprinkle with fresh lime juice and garnish with fresh coriander and the green part of spring onion.

Kana-nuudelikeitto

4:lle

1,5 litraa dashi-lientä (tai kanalientä) (kuutiosta/jauheesta ok myös)
2 valkosipulin kynttä
(1 kanelitanko - jonka kylläkin unohdin tällä kertaa)
pala tuoretta inkivääriä
3 rkl japanilaista soijakastiketta
1 varsi sitruunaruohoa
300-400 g kananjauhelihaa
suolaa, pippuria (ja chilijauhetta tai -lastuja) 
300 g täysjyvä (tai lempi-)nuudeleita
150 g sokeriherneitä
yhden limetin mehu
2 kevätsipulia
tuoretta korianteria
 
Kiehauta dashi-liemi. Murskaa valkosipulin kynnet veitsenlappeella. Hakkaa sitruunaruoho veitsen tylsällä puolella. Lisää valkosipulit, sitruunaruoho, kanelitanko, inkivääri ja soijakastike liemeen ja keitä ainakin 5 minuuttia. 

Paista kananjauheliha pannulla kypsäksi, mausta suolalla ja pippurilla sekä halutessasi chilijauheella.

Poista mausteet liemestä. Lisää nuudelit ja keitä, kunnes ne ovat lähes kypsiä. Lisää herneet, viipaloitu kevätsipulio (säästä hieman vihreää osaa koristeeksi) ja keitä n. minuutti. Jaa kulhoihin. Laita päälle paistettua kanaa, mausta tuoreella limenmehulla ja koristele tuoreella korianterilla ja kevätsipulilla.
 

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