Thai chicken meatball pho

A quick fragrant steaming bowl of noodles in a chicken, garlic and lemon grass broth with a hint of chilli

SERVES: 4 | PREP & COOK: 20 Mins

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 500g chicken mince

• 1 lemon grass, finely chopped (reserve half for the broth)

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1/2 inch piece ginger, finely chopped

• Pinch of salt and pepper

• 1 tsp fish sauce

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp sesame oil or olive oil for frying

  Broth

• 1 chicken stock pot dissolved in 800ml of water

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• Salt and pepper

• 160g mangetout

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1/2 inch piece ginger, finely chopped

• 200g tenderstem broccoli

• 225g dried rice noodles

• A few mint leaves

• Small handful of corriander

• 1 small chilli, sliced

• 1 lime, juiced

Method

1. Place 1 chopped garlic clove, the ginger, chilli, soy sauce and chicken stock in a large sauce pan and bring to the boil.

2. Form the meatballs by combining all the meatball ingredients together in a bowl. Take 1 tbsp of mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat with the rest of the mince.

3. Heat a large saucepan over a medium to high heat. Add 1 tbsp of sesame oil and leave until hot but not smoking. Add the meatballs and cook for 5-10 minutes (constantly turn to sear all sides) until cooked through.

4. Meanwhile add the broccoli and mangetout to the stock and cook on a medium to high heat until the meatballs are ready. 2 minutes before the end add the rice noodles.

5. Ladle the noodles and broth between 4 bowls, squeeze over the lime juice and top with the meatballs and herbs (add a little more soy sauce if you like).