SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - As a continuation to last week's chicken rice recipe, this week's recipe is soy sauce chicken noodles - another local classic that is rather easy to whip up.

I prefer using chicken legs because it is much easier to chop up a quartered chicken than an entire fowl.

It is also easier to estimate the amount to cook if you are feeding a group.

Best to have a few extra chicken legs in case you get requests for second helpings.

Soy sauce chicken noodles

INGREDIENTS

2 litres of water
6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and quartered
1 large red date
1 piece of dried orange peel
1 black cardamom pod
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves
1½ star anise
1 tsp black peppercorns
40g ginger, sliced
5 garlic cloves, smashed
3 stalks of spring onion
3 stalks of pandan leaves
5 Tbs dark soy sauce
2 Tbs light soy sauce
1 tsp salt
2 small pieces of rock sugar
1 litre of water (for blanching the chicken)
6 chicken legs
1.2 litres of water (for boiling the noodles)
6 bundles (270g) of dried egg noodles
1 litre of water (for blanching the xiao bai cai)
A pinch of salt (to add to water for blanching the xiao bai cai)
220g of xiao bai cai (baby bok choy)
2 stalks of spring onion, sliced (for garnish)

METHOD

1. Bring 2 litres of water to a boil in a large pot. Add dried shiitake mushrooms, red date, dried orange peel and black cardamom pod. Keep at simmering boil for 15 minutes.

2. Heat a frying pan. Over low heat, dry fry the cinnamon, cloves, star anise and black peppercorns until they are fragrant.

3. Transfer the spices into the boiling pot of water.

4. Add the ginger, garlic cloves, spring onion and pandan leaves into the pot.

5. Pour in the dark and light soya sauces. Add the salt and rock sugar. This will be the braising liquid.

6. In a separate pot, bring one litre of water to a boil and blanch the chicken legs until there is no visible blood. Remove the chicken and discard the water.

7. Add the chicken legs to the braising liquid.

8. Cover and boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat without removing the pot lid. Keep covered for another 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.

9. Cover and continue to boil for another 15 minutes until the braising liquid is reduced by a third. Remove the dried mushrooms and set aside.

10. Strain and reserve the braising liquid to use as gravy. Heat up the gravy when you are ready to eat.

11. Chop the chicken quarters into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

12. In a separate pot, bring 1.2 litres of water to a boil. Boil the noodles, one bundle at a time. Each bundle serves one.

13. Drain and place noodles on plate. Top with chopped chicken pieces and the braised shiitake mushrooms.

14. In a separate pot, bring one litre of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and blanch the xiao bai cai for one and a half minutes. Allow for four to five stalks per bowl.

15. Drizzle noodles with the reserved braising liquid. Garnish with spring onion.

Serves six.