Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

I had a craving for hot soup today, and since my husband would never accept the idea of just soup as dinner I decided to add noodles to them too. Unfortunately I think... well, I definitely put in too much! So noted for next time, will use less and maybe I'll use vermicelli so they don't expand and absorb too much of the soup.

Also, I finally ordered some home photography lighting kits and they arrived in the post yesterday! Still fiddling with my camera and trying to learn how to take better pictures, but this means I can take better pics at night - the time I do most of my cooking these days.

Here's the recipe for Asian Chicken Noodle Soup as my mum makes it:
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 inch ginger, sliced thinly
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 stalks lemongrass, er... smashed at the end to better allow for flavour extraction
• 1 carrot, cut into cubes
• 2 celery stalks, chopped rather haphazardly
• 4 cups water
• Spice bag: 2 star anise, 3 cardamom pods, 2 cloves, 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 2 or 3 chicken breasts, cut into 2cm cubes and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 cup choy sum 
• 2 eggs
• Noodles of choice 

Instructions:

1. Heat about a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot and add the ginger, garlic and lemongrass and cook until the aroma begins to fill the air
2. Add the carrot and celery and cook until the celery softens before adding the water and the spice bag. Bring to a boil then add the chicken, and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes
3. Add the noodles at this point (optional), the choy sum and slowly lower the 2 eggs into the soup with a bowl so they don't break
4. Serve in bowls (preferably larger than the ones we have), top with fried onions and chopped spring onions

Hmm... note to self: go buy large bowls!