Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:
chicken fillet, sliced (can also be made with fish, seafood, or just vegies)
some vegies (broccoli, carrot, bok choy or mushrooms are all good)
packet of rice vermicelli noodles
500 ml of stock
splash of rice wine vinegar
splash of fish sauce
cinnamon stick
lemon grass (or a few strips of lemon rind)
star anise
chilli
ginger
coriander and spring onion

Utensils: bamboo steamer (cheap cheap cheap from asian supermarkets)

Place the stock, fish sauce, vinegar and spices in a wok on a high heat. Once hot add vermicelli. Place steamer on the wok with chicken and cover.  Leave on high heat about 5 mins, then add vegies. Steam another minute or two.

Pluck out spices from the liquid, and pour the soup and noodles into a bowl, and serve with chicken and vegies on top. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and spring onion.

Serves two.

* This recipe is delicious in its vegetarian incarnation, and is MOST delicious with jumbo prawns.

Ambul Thiyal (Sri Lankan Sour Fish Curry)

500g firm fish steaks cut into chunks
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1/4 cup vinegar
1 med onion chopped
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 tsp salt
6-8 curry leaves
1 piece lemon grass or 2-3 strips lemon rind
cinnamon stick
generous shake of spices :fenugreek, pepper, chilli powder
1 1/2 cups water
generous slug of oil

Soak the tamarind in the vineger until soft, mix well so there are no lumps.
Put all ingredients into a pan and mix well. Keep for 45 mins.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until fish is
cooked and gravy is thick.(DO NOT STIR) Shake pan and turn fish
pieces carefully once or twice during cooking.
Serve with white rice, and other accompaniments such as pol sambol, dahl, poppadoms and chutney.