This chicken and rice soup is a bit time-intensive, but the flavor is worth the effort. Turning some of the cooked rice into a paste is a genius trick that gives the soup a creamy congee-like texture. If you have leftover lemongrass and makrut lime leaves, consider packaging them up in sealable containers along with ginger, and you’ll have pre-portioned aromatics for the stock at your fingertips. (Freeze them for up to 1 year.) If there’s any leftover garlic oil, refrigerate it for up to 1 week and use it to make salad dressing or drizzle over a grain bowl.

Ingredient

Stock

• 4 whole chicken leg quarters

• 1 large white onion, halved

• 1-2 stalks lemongrass

• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices

• 5 fresh or dried makrut lime leaves

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon salt

Fried Garlic Oil

• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil or other neutral-flavored oil

• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and finely chopped

Soup & Garnish

• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice or other long-grain rice, divided

• 5 cups thinly sliced cabbage (about 1/4 large head)

• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• Juice of 1 lime

• Ground white pepper to taste

• 3 scallions, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

• 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned

Direction

1. To make stock: Put chicken leg quarters in a large pot and add just enough water to cover the chicken (in our test it was 16 cups). Add onion, lemongrass, sliced ginger, lime leaves, sugar and salt. Bring to a lively simmer over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook, turning the chicken once or twice, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part without touching bone registers 165°F, about 45 minutes, skimming any fat and impurities that rise from the surface. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones (discard the skin). Return the bones to the stock; cook, covered, over medium heat for 20 minutes. Shred the chicken and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, make fried garlic oil: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic. Cook, stirring, until the garlic starts to color, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
4. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl or another large pot. Transfer the lime leaves and lemongrass to a small bowl and discard the remaining solids. Wash the pot. Return the stock, lemongrass and lime leaves to the pot.
5. To finish soup: Return the stock to a boil. Put 1/4 cup rice on a clean cutting board (or in a mortar) and mash into a paste with the back of a knife or fork (or with a pestle). Whisk the rice paste into the stock. Stir in the remaining 1 3/4 cups rice, cabbage, carrots and the chicken. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Add fish sauce, lime juice and white pepper to taste.
6. Divide the soup among 8 bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with scallions, cilantro and ginger; drizzle each with 1 teaspoon fried garlic oil.