Instructions: Blend turmeric, garlic, ginger, and pepper into a paste. Heat 1 Tbs. vegetable oil in a wok with medium heat, stir fry the paste for a minute or two until fragrant.

Put the chicken into a big pot that is filled with water, salam leaves, two of the scallions,salt, lemongrass and the fried spice paste. Cook covered over medium heat for thirty minutes. Turn off theheat, and let the chicken stand in its broth for abouta fifteen minutes to absorb the flavor. Take the chicken out and let it cool off. Then remove the meat from its bones and thinly slice it into bite-size pieces (you can either use the fork or your hands to do this instead of using a knife) and discard the bones. Soak the vermicelli in hot water for 15 minutes or you can boil it, drain well.

To serve, prepare separate side dishes of chicken,a the rest of the scallions, vermicelli, lemon slices, hot chili sauce, hard-boiled egg slices, crispy fried shallots and sweet soy sauce. This particular dish is best eaten with steamed rice, so arrange in layers in the individual soup bowl, a cup of steam rice, a tablespoon of chicken, vermicelli, scallions, egg slices, a few drops of sweet soy sauce and hot chili sauce. Then pour a very hot chicken broth/soup and squeeze a slice of lemon and top with the crispy fried shallots. Ready to serve.

Makes 6-8 servings.

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