This chicken laksa-style soup is creamy, aromatic and full of warming spices, with tender chicken thighs, fragrant lemongrass, galangal and garlic creating a delicious savoury base.

Coconut milk and peanut butter give the soup its creamy texture, while fish sauce, fresh lime juice and green chillies bring depth, freshness and a little heat. Julienned carrots and shredded savoy cabbage add texture, while rice noodles make it a satisfying meal. Finished with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime, this is my take on a comforting, flavour-packed chicken laksa-style soup.

• Stock:
• 10 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
• 1 lemongrass stick, bashed
• 2 thick sliced of galangal or ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 star anise 
• 6 whole cloves 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 2 green chillies, whole
• half an onion, chopped into two chunks
• approximately 700ml water

• Paste:
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• Half an onion 
• 4 anchovies
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2-inch piece of galangal or ginger
• 10g coriander stalks
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice

• Soup:
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 400ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 green chillies, whole
• Soy sauce to season
• ¼ savoy cabbage, finely shredded
• Fresh coriander leaves, lime wedges and cooked rice noodles, to serve

• To make the stock, place all of the ingredients into a large pan and cover with water. Boil for 45 minutes to an hour. Drain and reserve the liquid for later. Shred the chicken, discarding the skin, bones, onion and spices from the stock.
• To make the paste, place all the paste ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
• To make the soup, scrape the paste into a pan and cook for about 3 minutes.
• Add a little water to the blender and shake to loosen any remaining paste, making sure you capture all those flavours. Pour this into the pan.
• Add the carrots and cook for a further minute.
• Add the reserved stock and coconut milk, then stir well.
• Add the fish sauce, peanut butter, lime juice and whole green chillies. Season with soy sauce to taste.
• Add the cabbage and the shredded chicken.
• Cook for a few minutes more, then it is ready to serve.
• Serve with cooked rice noodles, fresh coriander leaves and lime wedges.