Chicken and egg noodle soup with ginger and chilli

Winter getting you down? It seems everyone is either escaping the Winter by traipsing around the Mediterranean, or stuck in Sydney with colds, COVID & the flu.  We’ve turned to Gourmet Traveller for Emma Knowles’ big bowl of chicken noodle soup that might just cure everything from the common cold to cabin fever. Wine Pairing from Cal from our Bayswater Fine Wines store.

“There's something pleasingly complete about this restorative broth - using both the chicken and the egg makes sense somehow. A big bowl of this on a winter's night will put the world to rights, especially when it's drizzled with the roast chilli vinegar.”

You will need:

·        1 chicken (about 1.8kg), rinsed

·        200 ml Shaoxing wine

·        125 ml (½ cup) soy sauce

·        100 gm ginger, coarsely chopped

·        3 spring onions, coarsely chopped, plus extra thinly sliced to serve

·        1 head of garlic, halved

·        2 star anise

·        1 cinnamon quill

·        Splash of white vinegar

·        6 eggs

·        375 gm fresh thin egg noodles

·        Roasted sesame seeds, to serve

Roast chilli vinegar

·        60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil

·        2 tbsp roasted chilli flakes (see note)

·        1 tbsp finely grated ginger

·        1 garlic clove, finely grated

·        2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar

1

For roast chilli vinegar, combine the oil and chilli flakes in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until chilli darkens and oil turns red (6-8 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in ginger and garlic, and stand to cool, then stir in vinegar. Roast chilli vinegar will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 weeks.

2

Place chicken in a large saucepan with Shaoxing, soy sauce, ginger, chopped spring onion, garlic, star anise, cinnamon and 3 litres cold water. Bring just to the boil, then reduce heat to low-medium and simmer until the juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer (1-1¼ hours). Transfer chicken to a plate and strain broth into a clean pan. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred meat and return to broth (discard skin and bones).

3

Fill a saucepan with water, add a splash of vinegar and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Swirl water to create a whirlpool, then carefully crack in 2 eggs and poach until cooked to your liking (2-3 minutes for soft yolks). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining eggs.

4

Cook the noodles in a separate saucepan of boiling salted water until tender (2-3 minutes), then drain and divide among warm serving bowls. Ladle in chicken and broth, top with an egg, then scatter with sesame seeds and sliced spring onion. Serve hot with roast chilli vinegar.

NOTES

Buy roasted chilli flakes from Asian supermarkets, or dry-roast your own chilli flakes in a frying pan.

Wine pairing: Jules Taylor, Grüner Veltliner, 2021, Marlborough NZ

The most planted grape in Austria, Grüner Veltliner, has found a comfortable home in New Zealand’s South Island where the cool climate and mountainous landscape allow the grapes to fully ripen whilst maintain their bracing acidity and delicate aromas. Classically, Grüner (as its colloquially known) produces dry aromatic white wines, with a subtle green hue, tingly acidity; and notes of grapefruit, white nectarine and white pepper on the finish.

The chicken noodle soup is a dish that’s aromatic, spicy and sour all of which can be said of Grüner. Chicken is a delicate protein, which the wine supports without detracting from, the high acid helping to cut through the richness of the broth.

The aromatics in the dish are well complimented by the wine’s delicate aromas and its slight pepperiness. The soft fruit of the wine also serves well to contrast the heat of the chili vinaigrette whilst still having the acidity to stand up to the vinegar.

The wine should be served well chilled but given the inclemency of the weather it’ll be fine in an unheated room left to acclimatise, just try to keep it under 10˚. Whilst the Austrians have some fantastic examples of aged Grüner Veltliner, this wine will benefit from drinking young, cellar no more than 5 years.

Our pairing comes from Cal Lee.

Since their start in the Booze Industry 10 Years ago Cal has worked in various roles, everything from Beverage Manager to glassy, review editor to cocktail bartender, and most things in between. Currently they’re employed at our Bayswater Store, assisting the manager Rhaad and running classes and tastings. Cal is a WSET 3 graduate, currently in their 2nd year of a Bachelors in Wine Science at Charles Sturt University. They have a deep passion for Biodynamic and Organic Viticulture as well as aromatic white wines and aiming to do work in the Loire Valley after their graduation.  To follow their journey through wine, check out @yungsemillion on Instagram.