½cuproughly chopped fresh cilantro leavesoptional, or to serve
Instructions
Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil, and the onion, and sauté for 4 minutes until tender. Add the garlic, ginger and lemon grass sauté for 1 minute until you can smell the fragrance. Add the crushed chili, then pour in the broth and tomatoes, turn the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the chicken and rice noodles and return to a simmer. Add the spinach and the fish sauce, simmer for one more minute, then add the lime juice and cilantro (if using) and serve in shallow bowls.
Notes
Note 1
You can use fresh lemon grass if you can find it, but you can also use lemongrass paste in a tube, or minced lemongrass, available in jars at specialty and Asian markets.
Note 2
To cook rice noodles, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Break the noodles into 3-inch pieces (just for this recipe). Remove the pot from the heat, add the rice noodles and stir frequently for 3 to 5 minutes until they are fairly pliable, but not soft. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water. Set aside. There are other methods, but this is a good one – check your noodle package for alternative directions.