2 teaspoons fish sauce (Red Boat brand recommended)
4 baby bok choy, stalks separated and washed well
kosher salt
1 Fresno pepper thinly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup crushed salted peanuts
Preparation
Combine sugar and ½ cup hot water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add ginger and let cool; drain and set aside.
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add rice and gently boil until rice is just done, about 10 minutes. Rinse and drain well.
Pour chicken broth (14.5 ounce can) in a 2 cup measuring cup. Top off with enough water to measure 2 cups. Pour the broth and chicken stock into a large saucepan along with chicken, shallots and garlic. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken and garlic to a plate and let cool. Strain stock through a cheesecloth lined sieve (discard shallots). Return broth to the saucepan.
Shred chicken; set aside.
Smash garlic to a paste using the side of a chef's knife. Add garlic paste to broth and bring back to a gentle boil. Place bok choy stalks in the broth for a minute just until they are tender. Remove to a plate. Turn off the heat.
Add lime juice, fish sauce, and reserved chicken to the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning adding salt and more fish sauce if needed.
Divide rice among 4 bowls, ladle hot soup over the rice with some of the chicken. Top with reserved ginger, bok choy, Fresno pepper slices, scallions, and peanuts.
Recipe by My Lilikoi Kitchen at https://www.mylilikoikitchen.com/2018/05/10/chicken-rice-soup-with-chile-ginger/