Rice Noodle Soup of Jeannie

This rice noodle recipe was given to me by my Vietnamese friend Jeannie. The herbs gave the soup a different flavor and aroma. It takes only 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients and 20 minutes cooking time. This recipe serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:
• 4 ounces rice stick noodles (about ¼ inch wide)
• 3 green onions leaves, white parts thinly sliced diagonally
• 5 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 piece fresh ginger (about 3 inches), peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cups shredded skinless chicken meat
• 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
• pinch red pepper, crushed

For garnish: fresh herbs such as basil, cilantro and mint
lime wedges
tops of the green onion leaves

In a saucepan, heat water over high heat until boiling. Remove from heat and add noodles, stirring to separate. Let stand 3 to 6 minutes or until tender noodles are tender. (Or just follow directions according to label). Drain.

In another saucepan, combine broth or chicken stock with onion leaves thinly sliced diagonally, water, ginger, hoisin sauce and crushed red pepper. Heat to boiling over high heat and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Discard ginger if you like, add noodles and chicken meat. Heat to boiling over high heat then reduce to low heat and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Ladle to soup bowls. Serve with fresh herbs, lime wedges to squeeze over soup, and green onion tops.

Nutritional value per serving:

275 calories, 24 g proteins, 25 g carbohydrates, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated), 0 g fiber, 60 mg cholesterol