chicken noodle soup - chinese style

1. Cook chicken

Rinse whole chicken under running water then rub with some table salt and sand ginger (aka galanga) powder.

Add 2 slices of ginger and a stalk of green onions cut into 3-inch lengths to a pot big enough for the chicken.  Add half a cup of cooking wine then add water, leaving room for the chicken.

When the water boils, submerge the whole chicken.  Once the pot returns to a boil, cover and turn off the stove.  Leave it undisturbed for 40 minutes.

Chop chicken up after it cools.  Meat should be just cooked through - if bone bleeds bright red while chopping, return chicken to pot and gently simmer for a minute.



2. Make ginger-green onion paste

Combine finely grated ginger and equal parts finely chopped green onion, a little sugar and even less salt.  Add just enough cooked oil (plain vegetable oil heated in a pan) plus a drop or two sesame oil to make into paste consistency.
 


3. Cook noodles

Take stock (water the chicken cooked in) and boil chopped napa cabbage and noodles.  When the cabbage and noodles are done, top with chopped chicken and chopped green onion.  Serve with ginger-green onion paste.