Sichuan Peppercorn, Chicken and Egg Noodle Soup
When we usually go to Chinatown we get Szechuan food. I am, (as my pen name cites) pretty addicted to spice. I love all forms of it but Szechuan Peppercorn is quite special. It's more pepper spice than chilli spice and it has a unique flavour and numbing qualities.
I wanted to invent a soup that would taste like those that we've indulged in many times in many a Szechuan restaurant, but make it fairly easy and with the accessible ingredients from my pantry. The only special ingredient here is the Szechuan peppercorns but you can easily order online.
The fresh garlic chilli oil has a wow factor and the Szechuan pepper...well let's put it this way.....it really took me down to Chinatown.
Yield: 4
Chicken, Egg Noodle and Sichuan Peppercorn Soup
Prep time: 4 HourCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 4 H & 25 M
Ingredients
For the broth
- Chicken bones (2 backs or more)
- 6 garlic cloves skin on
- 1 clove
- 1 large slice ginger
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon light soy
- 1 large onion quartered
- 3 spring onions cut in half
For the Sichuan oil
- 2 Tbspn chilli flakes
- 2 Tsp Szechuan Peppercorn
- 1 Large garlic clove
- 1/2 Tspn coarse sea salt
- 3 Tbspn veg oil
For later
- 2 Chicken breasts for poaching
- 2 Pak choi halved
- Prepped egg noodles
- Chopped spring onion, coriander to garnish
Instructions
- For the Sichuan oil crush everything well in a mortar and pestle and set aside for at least one hour.
- Throw broth ingredients into a stock pot cover with fresh cold water (3-4 liters), bring to boil then simmer for 4-8 hours reducing (skim off any scum).
- Sieve everything out.
- When you are nearly ready to eat bring broth back to a simmer and gently poach the chicken in the broth until cooked ( 20-30 minutes), take out, cool and shred.
- In a large bowl assemble noodles, chicken, pak choi then pour hot broth, add a generous amount chilli oil and garnish with herbs.