Chicken and Shiitake Miso Soup

Serves 4

An Asian-inspired chicken soup with umami and deep flavours from miso and shiitake, and fresh, aromatic notes from ginger, lime and lemongrass.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 5 cm fresh ginger
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 3 carrots
• 4 spring onions
• 50 g dried shiitake mushrooms (or 300-400 g fresh)
• 1-2 tbsp white miso
• 1/2 lime
• Salt or soy sauce, to taste
• 1 handful parsley

Method

1. Place the chicken in a large casserole and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour until the chicken is cooked through and the broth is fragrant.
2. Lift the chicken out and set aside to cool slightly. Pull all the meat off the bones and set aside. Return the carcass to the broth and simmer for a further 20 minutes. Strain through a sieve and discard the bones.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1–2 minutes until golden and fragrant. Bash the lemongrass with the back of a knife to release the oils and add to the pan. Add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes until just tender. Add the spring onions and mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Combine the strained broth, vegetables and chicken meat in a large pot. Stir the miso into a ladleful of hot broth until dissolved, then add to the pot — do not boil after adding the miso. Season with salt or soy sauce to taste and finish with a squeeze of lime. Serve with fresh parsley scattered over the top.