Name: Chicken Sotanghon Soup
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT3H20M0.000S
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray; 2 chicken leg quarters; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 medium onion, quartered; 6 cloves garlic, peeled; 2 scallions, roughly chopped; 2 bay leaves; 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder (see Cook’s Note); 1 teaspoon black peppercorns; 4 1/2 ounces (about 2 to 3 bundles) mung bean vermicelli; 3 tablespoons Annatto Oil, recipe follows; 1 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger; 3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated; 1/2 cup fish sauce; 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into julienne strips; 1 to 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, or as needed; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 3 napa cabbage leaves, cut into julienne strips; 4 soft-boiled eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise; 1 cup canola oil; 1/4 cup annatto seeds

Directions

Special equipment:

a 6-quart Instant Pot® multi-cooker

For the chicken bone broth: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray.
Carefully peel the skin from each chicken leg quarter, working slowly to keep the skin in one piece. The thigh portion of the skin will lay fairly flat, while the skin surrounding the drumstick will form a tube. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut lengthwise through the skin tubes to open them up. Unfold and spread each piece flat on the prepared rack, skin-side up. Gently stretch the skin so there are no folds or overlapping sections. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Bake until the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 45 minutes. Cool completely; the skin will continue to crisp as it cools. Roughly chop or break into pieces and set aside for garnish.
Meanwhile, place the skinned leg quarters, onion, garlic, scallions, bay leaves, chicken bouillon, peppercorns and 10 cups cold water in a 6-quart Instant Pot® multi-cooker (see Cook's Note). Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high pressure for 120 minutes.
After the pressure cook cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then carefully manually release any remaining pressure. Remove the chicken and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Remove and discard the chicken bones, cartilage and any undesirable bits. Shred the meat and reserve. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside. Discard the solids.
Meanwhile, make the sotanghon soup: Place the vermicelli in a medium bowl and cover with warm water. Soak for 20 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Heat the annatto oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and scallion whites and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the fish sauce, increase the heat and simmer until the liquid is almost completely evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the strained broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Add the carrot, shredded chicken and drained vermicelli. Cook until the noodles are tender and almost doubled in thickness, about 7 minutes.
Stir in 1 tablespoon of the vinegar. Taste the broth and add the remaining tablespoon if more acidity is desired. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the soup among 4 bowls and top each with the cabbage, crispy chicken skin, scallion greens and 2 soft-boiled egg halves. Serve immediately.

Annatto Oil:

Combine the oil and annatto seeds in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once the oil begins to bubble, remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Cook’s Note

We use a Chinese chicken bouillon powder that contains MSG, like Lee Kum Kee brand. Feel free to substitute a different kind, but be aware that it may affect the final flavoring. Settings may vary on your Instant Pot® depending on the model. Please refer to the manufacturer's guide.