Vietnamese Chicken Clear Noodle Soup

1: In a 8 qt pot, add all the ingredients listed under 'for the stock'. Fill the pot with water and bring to boil over high heat.

2: Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to simmer. Remove the impurities that float to the top of the broth. Allow to simmer for 1 hour.

3: In the meantime, prep your bean thread noodles by soaking them in warm water for 5-8 minutes or until softened. Drain and set aside.

4: In a small pot, add the 1/2 cup oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add your shallots and allow to cook over medium until golden - 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn it! Use a mesh strainer to scoop the shallots out and allow to cool on a plate with a paper towel. Once the shallots cool, they should crisp up.

5: Once the chicken is done cooking, remove the chicken from the pot and allow to cool in a container with cold water and ice. This will help tighten the meat and skin.

6: Once cooled, slice or shred the chicken meat and store in a separate container.

7: Discard the fat that floats at the top of the broth. Add all the ingredients listed under 'to season the broth'. Taste and adjust to your liking.

8: To serve, add bean thread noodles, shredded chicken meat, green onions, Vietnamese coriander, fried shallots, and black pepper to each bowl.

9: Ladle the boiling broth over the noodles and that should cook the bean thread noodles. The broth has to be BOILING for this to work. Serve hot with a side of chili oil and limes.