Tom Yum Hot and Sour Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles

2 cups water (for soup)
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 stalks lemon grass
1 small onion - diced
2-3 garlic cloves - minced
2 tsp vegetable oil
3-4 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp roasted red chili paste
1 tbsp unrefined cane sugar
1/2 lb chicken tenders already cooked (or quorn brand meat substitute)
Red pepper flakes to taste
4-6 cups water (to cook noodles)
1/2 package rice noodles - thin, not wide

Pull off and discard course outer layers from lemon grass and trim off and discard stem ends. Cut each stalk into about 3-inch lengths. Lightly crush with the flat side of a knife. (I often skip this step and use a few pinches of dried lemon grass sealed in a teabag.)

In small saucepan, heat oil and saute garlic and onion. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

While soup is simmering, bring large pot of water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add the noodles. Let sit for 8 minutes (or according to package directions). Drain water and scoop noodles into serving bowls. A slotted spaghetti server works best.

Remove lemongrass from soup and discard (compost!). Ladle the soup over the noodles and enjoy.

I love to make this Thai version of chicken noodle soup. This is one of the first recipes I perfected. It's ideal for a cold day and/or when you're feeling not-so-hot during the cold/flu season.