Making stock is a kitchen habit worth getting into: you get way more flavour and health benefits from homemade stock than from a preservative-filled Knorr cube, and it takes you only minutes of actual hands-on time. I make stock regularly so that I can whip up noodle soups or jazz up my stir-fries and stews in the week. You can also do a large batch and chuck it into the freezer in portioned bags. Back home, my mum makes stock every other day in a huge black claypot over a charcoal fire, with a very precise selection of bones from specific parts of specific animals. Here I do things more simply in a large stockpot, using leftover chicken carcasses or whatever bones my butcher gives me. Stock is essentially simply made by simmering bones in water, after all.
Chicken or pork are the most common versions in Southeast Asia, though you do of course see stock made from beef, fish (see clear fish noodle soup, here) or a mixture of any of these bones. Besides the animal, the type of bones used will affect the broth quite significantly; for instance, pig’s trotters and tails will make a rich, gelatinous stock which is better for richer dishes (see birthday mee sua, here), while lean ribs will give a lighter, clearer broth.
The recipe below is for a balanced stock that’s good for everyday cooking. I’ve kept extra ingredients to a minimum so the stock is neutral and versatile.
Note: The recipe below is for a balanced stock that’s good for everyday cooking. I’ve kept extra ingredients to a minimum so the stock is neutral and versatile.