Thai Soy-braised Chicken Noodles

4 garlic cloves

2 coriander (cilantro) roots, plus leaves to serve

1 tsp whole white peppercorns

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 skin-on chicken thigh fillets

4 slices ginger

2 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

¼ cup Chinese Shaoxing wine

¼ cup Thai soy sauce

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

3 tbsp sugar

400g (14 oz) fresh Chinese egg noodles, cooked

100g (3.5 oz) Chinese broccoli (gai lan), blanched until tender

finely sliced spring onion (scallions), to serve

• Soak the shiitake mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes or until they’ve softened and rehydrated. Remove and discard the stems of the mushrooms. Reserve the mushroom soaking liquid.
• Use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic, coriander roots and peppercorns to a rough paste.
• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic mixture and stir for about 10 seconds until fragrant. Then add the chicken, skin side down. Allow the chicken to sear for 2–3 minutes or until the skin is golden (but watch that the garlic doesn’t burn). Turn the chicken fillets over so they’re skin side up. Sear for another minute until starting to colour.
• Add the ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, Chinese wine, soy sauces, sugar and the rehydrated mushrooms. Then top with 3 cups of water and the mushroom soaking liquid. Stir to combine. Flip the chicken so that it is skin-side down. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 20–30 minutes or until the chicken is a deep mahogany colour.
• Preheat the oven grill to high.
• Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a baking tray lined with foil. Place the chicken under the hot grill for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken skin is just starting to char at the edges.
• In the meantime, place the braising liquid back over a high heat and simmer for 4–5 minutes to thicken slightly. Taste the sauce and season with more soy sauce if necessary.
• To serve, divide the cooked noodles among shallow serving bowls. Slice the chicken and add to the bowls, as well as the Chinese broccoli and mushrooms. Ladle over generous spoonfuls of the braising liquid. Scatter over the spring onion and coriander leaves, then serve.