Vietnamese Rice soup with Prawns and chicken

Vietnamese Rice Soup with Prawns and Chicken

Recipe only

This Vietnamese rice soup with prawns and chicken is a classic street stall dish. When you are in need of a quick lunch in Vietnam, just sit down and get a delicious meal and relax. This is a really healthy meal and is typical of Vietnamese food in it is one of the healthiest in the world. 

INGREDIENTS

110 g raw medium, sized prawns, shelled, deveined, and tails left on

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 coriander root, finely chopped

1 garlic clove extra, chopped

pinch ground white pepper, and extra to sprinkle

75 g minced ground chicken

1 spring onion, finely chopped

4 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 3/4 cups cooked jasmine rice

1 tablespoon finely sliced ginger

1 Chinese cabbage leaf, finely chopped

2 spring onions, finely chopped, for garnish

small hand full of fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a small wok or frying pan and stir-fry the finely chopped garlic until golden brown. Remove from the heat and discard the garlic.

2. Using a pestle and mortar or a small blender, pound or blend the coriander root, garlic, white pepper, and a pinch of salt into a paste. In a bowl, combine the coriander paste with the chicken and spring onion. Using a spoon or wet hands, shape the mixture into small balls about 1 cm wide.

3. Heat the stock to boiling point in a saucepan. Add the light soy sauce and rice. Lower the chicken balls into the stock over medium heat and cook for 3 minutes. Add the prawns, ginger and Chinese cabbage to the stock. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the prawns open and turn pink. Taste, then adjust the flavor if necessary.

4. Garnish with spring onions and coriander leaves. Sprinkle with ground white pepper.