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Whenever I need to have a quick lunch slapped together before the kids get home from school, I make this clear noodle soup. It’s got a bit of everything in it - carbs, veggies and meat.

• chicken bones
• chicken meat, cut in bite-sized pieces
• vermicelli or thin rice noodles
• onions, cut into quarters
• celery, cut into .5 inch lengths
• carrots, cut into long chunks
• mustard green
• salt, pepper, sesame oil to taste

To make the soup base, just chuck a bunch of chicken bones, onions and celery into a pot of water. Simmer on low heat for a half hour to draw out the flavor.

Add chicken meat and carrots, and continue to simmer till carrots become soft. If I happen to have fish balls or enoki mushrooms, I throw those in as well to make it a richer meal. Add the mustard green last as it cooks pretty quick. Lastly, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Blanch the rice noodles to soften. Drain away the water. Place one serving of noodles into a bowl or deep dish. Ladle in enough soup to cover noodles and drizzle some sesame oil over.

For me, the highlight of this one-bowl meal is the element of fire that goes with it. So I’ll always have my little dish of soy sauce with fresh cut fiery birds’ eye chillies sitting on the table waiting for me and my bowl of noodles. I totally can’t eat this without spicing it up . When I was in California, jalapenos saved my day.