Darren Parker
Head Chef
A light, fragrant soup that’s full of fresh flavour — perfect for a nourishing meal any time of year.
Ingredients
- 1.2L chicken stock
- 1 stalk lemongrass (5 cm), outer leaves removed
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ bay leaf
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- ¼ onion, finely chopped
- ½ small leek, diced
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 25 g Ramen noodles, halved
- 2 Tbsp light soy sauce
- Juice of 1 lemon
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- fresh coriander leaves, for garnish
Instructions
1. Prepare the broth
In a large pot, combine chicken stock, lemongrass, cardamom, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil.
2. Cook the chicken
Add the drumsticks and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the drumsticks and allow them to cool slightly. Strip the meat from the bones, dice it, and set aside.
3. Strain the stock
Pour the stock through a fine sieve to remove any solids. Reserve the clear broth.
4. Sauté the vegetables
In a small saucepan, heat the sesame oil over low heat. Add onion, leek, and carrot, and cook gently for about 1 minute.
5. Combine and cook
Pour the strained stock into the saucepan. Add noodles and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 4 minutes or until noodles are just tender.
6. Season the soup
Stir in soy sauce and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (go easy on the salt — soy sauce adds plenty).
7. Finish and serve
Add the diced chicken to the soup. Reheat gently if needed, but do not boil.
To Serve
Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve immediately.
Darren is a Head Chef with 35 years in the trade from the SouthWest of England. Having spent time honing his skills in the UK at prestigious hotels such as The Grosvenor Hotel, The Dorchester and Harrods Food Halls in London, he moved to New Zealand in 1995, and has been working in various restaurants and catering businesses within the Waikato region…
If you would like to learn more about Darren, see Expert: Darren Parker.
