Northern Style Chicken Vermicelli Soup

Ingredients

• 450 grams Dried yellow vermicelli (Soak in cold water with turmeric for 30 min until soft)
• 1 tablespoon Turmeric powder (Adds yellow colour)
• 2 stalks Spring onions (white stems) (Use only the white part, cut in half)
• 1 piece Celery root (celeriac) (Keep the root for broth, lightly crush)
• 1 stalk Lemongrass (Crush lightly to release aroma)
• 4 pieces Shallots (for sauté) (Coarsely chopped)
• 3 cloves Garlic (for sauté)
• 2 inches Ginger (Peeled)
• 1 whole Whole chicken (About 1.5 kg; keep bones for broth, set aside 2 large breast pieces)
• 3 tablespoons Cooking oil (vegetable) (For sauté and deep‑frying)
• 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
• 0.5 tablespoon Fennel seeds
• 0.5 tablespoon Cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon White pepper
• 0.5 tablespoon Black pepper (coarsely ground)
• 1 piece Chicken stock cube (Can use 2 for richer taste)
• 0.5 teaspoon MSG (optional)
• to taste Salt
• 1 handful Celery leaves (Garnish)
• 1 half Large onion (Half for soy‑sauce sambal, half for red sambal)
• 6 cloves Garlic (for sambal)
• 12 pieces Bird's eye chilies (Adjust to desired heat)
• 1 cup Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 10 pieces Dried chilies (boiled, seeds removed) (For red sambal)
• 2 tablespoons Chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Tamarind water (Adds slight sourness)
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• to taste Seasoning powder (e.g., chicken seasoning)
• 200 grams Firm tofu (Slice thin before frying)
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt (for tofu)
• 12 pieces Shallots (for fried onions) (Rose type, thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoons Rice flour (Mix with shallots for crispness)
• enough Oil for deep‑frying (Vegetable oil works well)
• 100 grams Pickled salted radish (Finely chopped; optional)
• 2 stalks Spring onion (green part) (Thinly sliced for garnish)

Instructions

1. Soak vermicelli with turmeric

   Place the dried yellow vermicelli in a bowl, add enough cold water to cover, stir in 1 Tbsp turmeric powder, and let soak for 30 minutes or until soft but not mushy.

   Time: PT30M

2. Prepare aromatics for the broth

   Trim the roots off the spring onions and cut the white stems in half. Keep the stems for the broth. Lightly crush the celery root and the lemongrass stalk.

   Time: PT5M

3. Make the "four friends" paste

   Coarsely chop 4 small shallots, 3 garlic cloves and a 2‑inch piece of ginger. Pound them in a stone mortar until a fine paste forms. (A blender can be used as an alternative.)

   Time: PT5M

4. Cut the chicken

   Break the whole chicken into roughly 16 pieces. Set aside two large breast pieces (about 300 g total) for later shredding.

   Time: PT5M

5. Sauté aromatics (tumis darat)

   Heat the large pot over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp cooking oil. When hot, add the "four friends" paste and sauté until fragrant and golden brown, about 3‑4 minutes. Add the crushed lemongrass and continue sautéing for another minute.

   Time: PT5M

6. Brown the chicken pieces and coat with spices

   Add all chicken pieces except the reserved breasts to the pot. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp coriander powder, ½ Tbsp fennel seeds, and ½ Tbsp cumin seeds. Stir well so the spices coat the meat. Cover and let sit on low heat for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

7. Build the broth

   Pour in 2 L water (add more later to reach 4‑4.5 L total). Add the saved spring‑onion stems, crushed celery root, 1 Tbsp white pepper, ½ Tbsp coarsely ground black pepper, and the water used to rinse the mortar. Bring to a gentle boil, then add 1 chicken stock cube and a pinch of MSG. Season with salt. Reduce to a low simmer.

   Time: PT10M

8. Simmer the broth and cook the breast meat

   Let the broth simmer slowly for about 45‑60 minutes, skimming any scum or excess oil that rises. About 15 minutes before the end, gently add the reserved breast pieces and continue simmering until fully cooked and tender.

   Time: PT60M

9. Finish the broth

   Remove the cooked chicken breasts, let them cool slightly, then shred coarsely. Sprinkle fresh celery leaves into the pot and turn off the heat.

   Time: PT5M

10. Make soy‑sauce sambal

    In a small pan, heat a little oil and fry half of the large onion, 5‑6 minced garlic cloves, and 10‑15 bird’s eye chilies until wilted (about 3 minutes). Transfer to a blender, add 1 cup sweet soy sauce, and blend to a thick paste.

    Time: PT10M

11. Make red sambal (northern style)

    Blend the boiled dried chilies (seeds removed) with the remaining half of the onion, adding a splash of water for blending. Heat ½ cup cooking oil in a pan, add the blended mixture and sauté until oil separates (about 5 minutes). Stir in 2 Tbsp chili powder, then add 1 Tbsp tamarind water, 1 Tbsp sugar, and seasoning powder to taste. Adjust with a little water if it gets too dry, and cook a couple more minutes until glossy.

    Time: PT15M

12. Fry tofu

    Pat the tofu slices dry, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and shallow‑fry in a hot wok with a thin layer of oil until golden brown on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.

    Time: PT5M

13. Prepare crispy fried onions

    Thinly slice 12‑15 shallots. In a bowl, toss them with ½ tsp salt and 2 Tbsp rice flour until evenly coated. Deep‑fry in hot oil until golden and crisp (about 5‑7 minutes). Remove quickly and drain; do not over‑cook or they become bitter.

    Time: PT10M

14. Cook the soaked vermicelli

    Add the drained vermicelli to the hot broth (still on low heat) and cook for about 5 minutes until just soft. Immediately drain and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.

    Time: PT5M

15. Prepare garnishes

    Finely slice the fried tofu, shred the boiled chicken breast, chop celery leaves and spring‑onion greens, and if using, finely chop the pickled radish (soak in hot water 2‑3 minutes then drain).

    Time: PT5M

16. Assemble the soup bowls

    In each serving bowl, place a handful of yellow vermicelli, ladle hot broth over it, add pieces of chicken, shredded breast, fried tofu, pickled radish, celery leaves, spring‑onion greens, a spoonful of soy‑sauce sambal and red sambal, and finish with a generous sprinkle of crispy fried onions.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

22 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Dried yellow vermicelli: Rice vermicelli, Glass noodles
• Instead of Turmeric powder: Annatto powder
• Instead of Spring onions (white stems): Scallions
• Instead of Celery root (celeriac): Celery stalks
• Instead of Lemongrass: Lemon zest
• Instead of Shallots (for sauté): Red onions
• Instead of Ginger: Galangal
• Instead of Whole chicken: Chicken thighs and drumsticks
• Instead of Cooking oil (vegetable): Canola oil, Peanut oil
• Instead of White pepper: Black pepper
• Instead of Chicken stock cube: Bouillon powder
• Instead of Celery leaves: Cilantro
• Instead of Large onion: Shallots
• Instead of Bird's eye chilies: Thai chilies
• Instead of Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis): Regular soy sauce + brown sugar
• Instead of Dried chilies (boiled, seeds removed): Smoked paprika
• Instead of Chili powder: Cayenne pepper
• Instead of Tamarind water: Lime juice
• Instead of Sugar: Palm sugar
• Instead of Firm tofu: Tempeh
• Instead of Shallots (for fried onions): Red onions
• Instead of Rice flour: Cornstarch
• Instead of Oil for deep‑frying: Peanut oil
• Instead of Pickled salted radish: Kimchi

Equipment Needed

• Large pot / stockpot
• Mortar and pestle (stone)
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Wok or deep‑frying pan
• Blender or food processor
• Colander / sieve
• Ladle
• Bowls for soaking
• Spatula or wooden spoon
• Plate or tray for draining fried items
• Measuring spoons and cups

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Sautéing the "four friends" paste until golden to develop flavor.
• Maintaining a low simmer for the broth to keep it clear.
• Achieving oil separation in the red sambal – it signals readiness.
• Frying the onions just until crisp; over‑cooking makes them bitter.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Toast the coriander, fennel, and cumin seeds briefly before adding for extra aroma.
• Add a small piece of kombu (dried kelp) to the broth for umami, if desired.
• Use a ladle to skim oil continuously; a clear broth is key to the dish’s elegance.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store broth, cooked chicken, and fried toppings separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Broth freezes well for up to 2 months; thaw before reheating.

Room temperature: Fried onions stay crisp for a few hours if kept in a dry container.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the broth a day ahead; it deepens in flavor.
• Both sambals keep well refrigerated for up to 5 days.
• Crispy fried onions can be made 2‑3 hours ahead; store in a paper‑towel‑lined container.