Warmly Spiced Ginger Chicken Soup with Yuba, Enoki, and Roasted Sweet Potato

I made this delicious pot of soup yesterday on the Lunar New Year with an intention of health and prosperity as I reset back into my NY routine.

The broth is warmly spiced with cinnamon, star anise, cloves, fresh ginger, and turmeric. I added charred red onion for depth and green onions/cilantro for freshness. It’s served with yuba (tofu skin) for texture, noodles for longevity, and enoki mushrooms for good fortune. Roasty, caramelized sweet potato topped with molasses adds a touch of sweetness.

The flavors of this soup are a beautiful cross between a traditional Chinese ginger chicken soup and the aromatic depth of a Vietnamese phở. Serve with a few dashes of soy or fish sauce, or a scoop of your favorite chili crisp on top.

serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS:
Half a chicken (or a small whole chicken)
8 cups Water
2 inch piece of Ginger, peeled and sliced
3 roots of Turmeric, peeled and sliced
4 Green Onion, 3 cut into 2in lengths and one finely sliced
1 Red Onion, halved and charred
5 Star Anise Pods
1 Cinnamon Stick
4 Cloves
Pinch Cardamon
Dash of Coriander
6 pieces Tofu Skin Sticks (soaked in warm water for at least 10 mins)
1 package Enoki Mushrooms
4 Sweet Potatoes (roasted at 325f for 40 mins, turn off oven and leave in oven to cool)
Brown Rice Noodles
Cilantro
Salt

METHOD:

In a large pot, add the half chicken, 8 cups of water, sliced ginger, turmeric, the 3 green onions (2-inch lengths), and the charred red onion. Bring the water to a boil, then immediately turn the heat down to a low simmer. Use a spoon to skim off any foam or "scum" that rises to the top in the first 10 minutes; this ensures your broth stays clear.

While the pot simmers, lightly toast the star anise, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a dry pan for 1–2 minutes until they smell fragrant and add to the pot along with the pinch of cardamom, dash of coriander, and a generous pinch of salt. Cover and simmer gently for about 45–60 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.

While the broth is simmering, handle your textures. Cook the brown rice noodles according to the package instructions, drain, and portion into soup bowls. Drain the soaked tofu skin sticks and cut them into bite-sized lengths. Trim the root ends off the enoki mushrooms.

Once the chicken is done, remove it from the pot. Let it cool, then remove bones and slice into small pieces. Save the skin and add to a small skillet over medium heat to crisp and brown. Serve as a soup topping for added flavor and texture.

Remove the onions, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise by scooping them out with a slotted spoon or straining through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot.

Add the tofu skin and enoki mushrooms to the simmering broth for 2–3 minutes until the mushrooms have softened.

Taste the broth and add more salt as needed. Place a portion of chicken in the bowl with the noodles and top with a scoop of the crispy chicken skin, nestle in a tiny roasted sweet potato, a few bites of tofu skin, and the softened enoki mushrooms. Ladle the hot broth over the top. Finish each bowl with the finely sliced green onion and a handful of fresh cilantro. Add a slather of molasses and a sprinkle of sea salt atop the sweet potato, if desired. A dash of fish sauce, soy sauce, chili crisp… whatever you fancy. Enjoy!