Ultra-Comforting Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup

Here's one for a cold, dark, had a hell of a Monday after a large weekend. Or whatever day suits your blues. This soup is warming, both in temperature and in tummy soothing gingeryness, ultra tasty, very healthy (I swear you can feel it restoring one's mojo) and satisfyingly slurpy, especially if you tackle it with chopsticks and a spoon.

If you've got a left-over roasted Oakham free range chicken with plenty of meat left on, them I'm impressed but secretly thinking you're telling porkies. If not, then drop into Tesco on the way home and buy the following:

A hot roasted chicken in a bag
Pak Choi
Fresh Sweetcorn
Fresh Ginger
Spring Onions
A tray of fresh Chinese style stir fry vegetables
Maybe some mange tout
A bag of fresh beansprouts
An onion
Toasted Sesame oil
Five Spice Powder
Dried Thread or Egg noodles (whatever)
A couple of red chillis

First, boil a full kettle, then start stripping the meat off the chicken and throw the bones, skin and hot juices into a large pot. Reserve the chicken meat.
Pour over the water and bring to a simmer.
Slice up about a thumb size piece of fresh ginger leaving the skin on, and cut the onion into rough slices. Skim the stock and add both.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pierce a red chilli several times and add to the pot.
Cut the fresh corn kernels off their cobs and reserve, adding the bare cobs to the stock for flavour.
Prep the other veg: i.e. wash and separate the pak choi, chop the spring onion into 2 inch diagonals.
After twenty mins of boiling, strain the stock and put back into the pot, bringing back to a simmer.
Add two teaspoons of five spice powder
Add the veg except the beansprouts. Cook for another five minutes.
Add the beansprouts, chicken meat and dried noodles and cook until the noodles are ready, seasoning to taste.
When the noodles are cooked, add about a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil and stir in.
Ladle into deep bowls, decorate with finely chopped spring onion, serve with chopsticks and spoons.
Deeply satisfying, my friends.