Pho ga (Vietnamese rice noodle soup with chicken)

Ingredients:

• 1 old soup chicken (about 2.3 kg)
• 900 g of chicken bones or chicken necks
• 1 boiled chicken breast, thinly sliced ​​(2 halves)
• 4 liters of cold water
• 30 g of crushed fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 225 g rice noodles (ban)
• 8-12 sprigs of fresh cilantro for garnishing the soup
• 4-8 sprigs of fresh basil for garnishing the soup
• 4 sprigs of fresh mint for garnishing the soup
• 2 cups fresh bean sprouts for garnishing the soup
• 2 limes, sliced ​​into wedges, for garnishing the soup
• 2-3 sliced ​​fresh jalapeño, serrano, or Thai chili peppers for garnishing the soup
• Sriracha chili sauce, fish sauce for serving

Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken into 8 pieces and discard any excess fat. Rinse the chicken bones and necks with cold water and place in a saucepan. Add water and ginger and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 3 hours. Do not allow the liquid to boil vigorously, so the broth becomes clear.
   
   Remove the chicken and bones. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or a conical sieve lined with cheesecloth. Return the broth to the large soup pot and continue simmering until it reduces to 2.5 to 3 liters. Season with salt to taste and keep hot while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Prepare rice noodles, according to package directions. When the noodles are done, transfer them to a colander and drain well. Rinse under cold running water. Drain thoroughly before using. (The noodles can be cooked up to 2 hours before serving.)
   
   Just before serving, pour 2 cups of hot broth into a large tureen per serving. Quickly drop the cooked noodles into the remaining hot broth to reheat, then spoon a handful of noodles into each bowl.
3. Divide the sliced ​​chicken among bowls, layering the pieces on top of the noodles. Serve the soup immediately, garnished with fresh cilantro, basil, mint, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and jalapeños, placing them in baskets for each person to garnish. Add chili sauce or fish sauce to taste, if desired.