Directions

1. Thoroughly wash a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger under cool, running, drinkable water. Peel, thinly slice, and set aside. Quarter 1 red onion. 

2. In a small skillet over medium heat, dry roast 2 star anise and ½ teaspoon of white coriander seeds for 30-60 seconds until aromatic but not burnt.

3. In a large pot over high heat, place the sliced ginger, quartered red onion,  roasted spices, ½ pound of bone-in skin-on chicken thigh, and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium for a gentle simmer. Skim the foam as it rises, checking every 20 minutes for more foam. Allow the broth to simmer for 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, thoroughly wash 1 head of broccoli under cool, running, drinkable water. Cut into bite-size pieces and steam until tender. Set aside.

5. Once the broth has been simmering for 50 minutes, remove the chicken using tongs. Shred the meat off the bone and set aside. Stockpile (pun intended!) the leftover bones in an airtight plastic bag and store in the freezer to make broth at a later date.

6. In a medium pot over high heat, boil 9½ ounces of soba noodles in salted water. Drain and set aside.

7. In the broth pot, stir in 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, ½ teaspoon of brown sugar, and kosher salt to taste. Strain the broth into a fresh pot.

8. Thoroughly wash 1 small handful of fresh cilantro and 1 lime (including the rind) under cool, running, drinkable water. Chop the cilantro and quarter the lime. Set aside.

9. Ladle the broth into serving bowls. Add cooked soba noodles and some shredded chicken. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime, and serve with a side of steamed broccoli. Eat up, Mama!

10. Once cooled completely, pour leftover strained broth into silicone molds to freeze into pre-portioned blocks. Your future self will thank you kindly.