This colourful bowlful was the consequence of not much leftover roast duck and very good stock made with the duck carcass. It could, though, be made with shredded chicken instead and a chicken stock cube; the broth is hot and interesting, thanks to fresh chilli, ginger, garlic and salty soy, fresh lime and Thai fish sauce. A few drops of toasted sesame oil are a great addition but not essential. I used pale oriental wheat noodles, Japanese, I think, tied up with a black sash. They took minutes to cook but for extra convenience, a pack of pre-soaked rice noodles would be a good alternative.
Serves 2
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
2 garlic cloves
15g ginger
1 small red bird’s eye chilli
500ml duck stock
100g leek
150g carrot
1 small, Romano (pointed) red pepper
2 tsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
100g cucumber
juice ½ lime
185g, approx, shredded roast duck
handful of coriander
90g oriental wheat noodles
Finely chop the garlic then crush to a paste with a pinch of salt – I use the flat of a small, sharp knife that I’ve using to chop the garlic. Peel and chop the ginger into small scraps. Trim and split the chilli lengthways. Scrape out the seeds, slice in skinny batons and then into tiny scraps. Place all these ingredients in a pan that can accommodate the entire dish with the stock (don’t forget to wash your hands to remove chilli juices) and bring slowly to the boil. Establish a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes over a low heat while you slice the leek in thin rounds, agitate it in a bowl of water and drain. Finely chop the red pepper in small dice. Scrape and slice the carrot in thin rounds. Add the red pepper and carrot to the pan with 2tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (if you have some) and simmer, partially covered for 5 minutes. Add the leeks and simmer thus for a further 5 minutes while you peel the cucumber, split lengthways, scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon and slice in skinny half moons. Add cucumber and duck to the pan, reheat and stir in lime juice and chopped coriander just before serving in bowls over the noodles. Cook or soak the noodles according to packet instructions; mine took 8 minutes, so I cooked them towards the end of preparations.