Image: Jpatokal, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Mì Quảng is not a conventional noodle soup: the wide, often yellow rice noodles receive only a small amount of concentrated broth. Chicken, prawns, herbs, peanuts and crisp rice cracker provide contrasting textures.
Ingredients
- 300 g wide rice noodles
- 500 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 200 g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 800 ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsp annatto oil, optional for colour
- 100 g mung bean sprouts
- 1 large bunch of mixed herbs and lettuce
- 60 g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 4 sesame rice crackers or prawn crackers
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Chilli to taste
Method
- Mix chicken with half the shallot, garlic, turmeric, fish sauce and sugar. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a saucepan. Fry the remaining shallot and garlic, then brown the chicken strongly for 5 minutes.
- Add stock and annatto oil if using. Simmer gently for 20 minutes until the chicken is tender. Add prawns and cook for 3–4 minutes. Season boldly with fish sauce and sugar.
- Cook the rice noodles according to the packet, rinse cold and drain.
- Place herbs and sprouts in bowls and add noodles. Top with chicken, prawns and only 150–200 ml broth per bowl.
- Serve with peanuts, rice crackers, lime and chilli.
Tips and variations
- Mì Quảng should contain only a little broth; the noodles should not be fully submerged.
- Use yellow Mì Quảng noodles when available; wide rice noodles are the practical substitute.
- For a simpler version, omit the prawns and use chicken only.
