This is my kosher version of Vietnamese pho soup. I basically took my favourite chicken soup recipe and added ginger and coriander stems during the cooking, and then added other ingredients after the soup was strained.

You can use your own favourite chicken soup recipe and then simply add the other ingredients to create an Asian-inspired broth.

I have served this soup for week night dinners. I like rice noodles, but my twins prefer wheat udon noodles.

This soup may be made up to three days in advance or frozen.

Method:

• For the soup: place the chicken in a large saucepan. Add the vegetables, ginger, garlic, and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim the dirty foam off the top of the soup. Add the peppercorns, cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and let the soup simmer, checking after 5 minutes and skimming off any foam. Add the coriander stems, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare the garnishes. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, and add the broccoli. Cook for 2 minutes, or until fork-tender. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Bring the water to a boil again. Cook the noodles according to package directions and drain.
• When the soup is done, let it cool and strain through a large sieve, reserving the carrots to serve with the soup. Reserve the chicken pieces.
• Add the soy sauce to the soup. Put 4 tablespoons of soup in a bowl and add the miso paste and ground ginger. Stir to dissolve them into the soup, and return the mixture to the pot. Add pepper to taste. If your family likes spice, add chilli sauce.
• To serve: shred several pieces of the chicken, cut the carrots on the diagonal into 2.5cm chunks, and reheat them separately or add to the soup. Reheat the broccoli. Reheat the soup until very hot.
• Place noodles into each bowl and ladle over the soup. Add spring onion, shredded chicken, coriander and sliced red chilli to each bowl or provide bowls for guests to take their own. Serve chilli sauce alongside for anyone who wants extra kick.

Extracted from The Healthy Jewish Kitchen (Sterling Epicure) 

Recipe first published in the JC February 1 2018