Pho-Spiced Chicken Sancocho with Rice Noodles (Colombian × Vietnamese)

Method

1. Halve the onion with its skin on and halve the ginger lengthways. Put them cut side down in a dry frying pan or on a grill rack on high heat for 7 min, until blackened and smelling sweet. This charred note is the heart of pho broth. Brush off just the burnt papery skin.

   Add in this stepOnion, unpeeled 1Fresh ginger 25 g

   high heat

2. Put a 4 L pot on medium heat and dry-toast the star anise, cinnamon and coriander seeds for 2 min, shaking constantly so they don't burn. You can tie them in a muslin bag to fish them out easily later.

   Add in this stepStar anise 2Cinnamon stick (5 cm pieces) 1Coriander seeds 1 tsp

   medium heat

3. Add the chicken, water, charred onion and ginger, salt and half the fish sauce. Bring to the boil on high heat, skim carefully, then lower to medium-low heat and simmer gently for 30 min. Don't let it boil hard if you want a clear broth.

   Add in this stepBone-in chicken thighs, skin on 600 gWater 1¾ LSalt ¾ tspFish sauce 1 tbsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

4. Add the plantain snapped by hand into 4 cm pieces, the corn cut into 4 cm rounds and the cassava cut into 6 cm lengths, and simmer on medium-low heat for 22 min more, until the cassava is translucent and tender.

   Add in this stepGreen plantain 1Corn on the cob 1Cassava (yuca) 200 g

   medium-low heat

5. Meanwhile, bring a second pot of water to the boil on high heat, cook the noodles for 4 min (check the packet), then rinse under cold water and drain.

   Add in this stepFlat rice noodles (about 5 mm wide) 120 g

   high heat

6. Remove the spices, onion and ginger. Lift out the chicken, pull the meat off the bones and tear it into chunks. Season the broth with the rest of the fish sauce. Put the noodles in bowls, add the vegetables and chicken and ladle over the hot broth. Top with coriander, Thai basil, bean sprouts and sliced chilli, and serve with lime.

   Add in this stepFish sauce 1 tbspFresh coriander leaves 10 gThai basil 10 gBean sprouts 60 gBird's eye chilli 1Lime 1