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5L water

600g firm tofu

600g silken tofu

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For the broth:

Ginger, ½ cup peeled and sliced (114g)

13 garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced on a diagonal

1 cup vegetable oil

2 onions, peeled and quartered through the root end

4 French onions, sliced thinly into rounds

2 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped

5 lime leaves

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For the seasoning mix:

2 tbsp chicken stock powder

88ml (⅓ cup) soy sauce

4.5 tbsp fish sauce

3 tbsp vegan oyster sauce

4 tbsp umami powder

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For marinating tofu:

1.5 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp salt

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For garnish:

1 bunch coriander, chopped

1.6kg konjac noodles or 800g dry rice noodles

2 fresh limes cut into wedges

2 tsp chilli flakes

Fried shallots, garnish

4 green onions, chopped and separate the white from the green part

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Equipment needed:

medium bowl for garlic oil storage

plate to leave garlic on

cast iron pot

frying pan

large bowl for lemongrass, coriander stems

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For preparation:

1. Cut the tofu into cubes, then marinate the firm tofu in a large bowl with fish sauce, vegan oyster sauce and soy sauce.

2. Slice the green onions thinly on a bias, and chop the coriander separating the stems and leaves. Put the coriander leaves and green onions into a bowl in fridge for garnish.

3. Chop the lemongrass roughly and store in the same bowl as the coriander stems.

4. Drain the konjac noodles or start cooking rice noodles.

5. Premix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, vegan fish sauce, umami seasoning, and chicken stock powder in a separate small bowl.

For the fried garlic and shallots:

1. Line a plate with paper towels and set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl. In a medium frying pan, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and fry, swirling and stirring frequently, until golden brown all over, approximately 4 minutes.

2. Pour garlic and oil into prepared strainer and allow to drain. Transfer garlic to the prepared paper towels, spreading it out in an even layer, and allow to drain further.

3. Return oil to pan, then set fine-mesh strainer over the same heatproof bowl. Line a second plate with clean paper towels.

4. Add shallots to pan and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until shallots begin to bubble, about 1 minute. Continue cooking, stirring constantly as the shallots fry to ensure even cooking, until shallots turn pale golden brown, about 3 minutes longer.

5. Working quickly, pour contents of saucepan into strainer set over bowl. (Shallots will continue cooking for a brief period after draining, so do not allow them to get too dark.) Reserve garlic-shallot oil.

For the broth:

1. If desired, grill or sear (in a cast iron pan without oil) two of the onion quarters and two-thirds of the sliced ginger until well charred, about 2 minutes per cut side (this will add depth and complexity to the broth, but is optional). Roughly chop all of the onion and ginger, whether charred or not.

2. Roughly chop all of the onion and ginger, whether charred or not.

3. In a large 8-quart Dutch oven or soup pot, heat garlic-shallot oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add chopped onion and ginger, lemongrass, sliced garlic, lime leaves, and coriander stems. Add the firm tofu and fry until golden. Season lightly with salt, then cook, stirring, until onions are softened, about 7 minutes.

4. Add chicken bones if using and 5L of cold water, plus the seasoning mix. Bring to a simmer then lower heat, cooking covered for 2 hours and skimming any fat from the surface.

5. Once the soup starts to boil, add the silken tofu.

6. Carefully stir and adjust seasoning to taste.

7. Leave on stove on medium high heat for another 5-10 minutes.

8. Store the soup in a large container. Serve with coriander, green onion, fried shallots, lime, and chili flakes.