Thai Chicken with Lemon Grass & Cellophane Noodles

I love this soup! Great for winter time and great for digestion! Here's what you'll need:

• 2 oz cellophane noodles, tied together


• 2 1/2 pints unsalted chicken stock


• 8 oz skinned, boned chicken breasts


• 1 oz cloud ear mushrooms, soaked in very hot water for 20 minutes, then cut into thin strips. ( I used shitake mushrooms )


• 3 stalks fresh lemon grass, bruised with the flat of a knife and knotted, or 1 and 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind.


• citrus leaves or 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice


• 4 thin slices fresh ginger root


• 10 garlic cloves, peeled


• 2 tsp fish sauce

Pour the stock into a heavy bottomed fireproof casserole and bring it to a boil. Add the cellophane noodles, the chicken breasts, the mushroom strips, and the lemon grass and citrus leaves if you're using those. Thread the ginger slices and the garlic cloves on to skewers or wooden toothpicks, and add them to the stock with the fish sauce. Cover pot and remove it from heat. Let the chicken stand undisturbed for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the stock and set it aside to cool. Remove the lemon grass, ginger and garlic from the stock and discard them.

When the chicken is cool, break it into shreds with fingers. Remove the noodles from the stock, then untie them and cut them into 2 inch lengths. Reheat the stock; add the chicken, noodles and 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce if so desired. If you are substituting lemon rind and lime juice, add them now. Ladle the mixture into individual bowls and serve.