Chicken and ginger noodle soup

Method

1. For the chicken stock: Put the chicken bones and any pieces of skin, leftover roast onion and garlic in a large pan with an unpeeled onion, cut into wedges, a large carrot and leek tops, chopped, a good sprinkling of salt, about eight peppercorns, a couple of bay leaves, a few thyme sprigs and a handful of parsley. Add enough cold water to cover well.
2. Bring to the boil, then simmer for a couple of hours, half covered. Strain into a large jug.
3. Discard all the bones and veg.
4. For the soup: Simmer the stock in a large pan and add in the star anise, ginger, garlic and half of the chilli, for 10 mins, without boiling.
5. Meanwhile, trim the ends off the pak choi and separate the leaves. Cut the white part into fine strips and shred the leaves.
6. Remove the flavourings from the stock with a slotted spoon and discard them. Add the noodles to the boiling stock, stir them in and simmer for
7. 3 mins. Add the spring onion and white parts of the pak choi, bring to the boil, then add the chicken and soy sauce. Sprinkle the pak choi leaves on top and steam them for 1 min.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls and scatter with fine slivers of chilli and basil or coriander. (Not suitable for freezing).

Nutritional information is for the maximum number of servings

By Kate Moseley. Photos: Chris Alack. Props stylist: Sue Radcliffe