Chinese Chicken Soup

Hi Guys,

Yesterday I realised that I had a whole chook in the fridge that I was going to roast but well the first sight of rain in Perth and I was in the mood for soup ! So after a round table collaboration at netball I spent the drive home thinking of just how I was going to whip up a chicken soup ! I wanted to use the slow cooker and the thermy ! I took some inspiration from Tenina and her Curry No Hurry. If you love a good curry soup then this is a must by the way. I wanted something a little lighter and fresher but still to be able to have the raw veg in the soup.

Also my other must was I had to have everything in the cupboards. No way I was going to take two toddlers on a supermarket dash in the rain right on bed time 🙂 So here is what I came up with and it was so yummy ! We have left overs in the fridge and it tastes even better on the second day ! The other thing is this can be a perfect dinner party meal as you just add more noodles and veg at the end to make it go that bit further. You can also use the stove top if you don’t have the time for the slow cooker.

INGREDIENTS: 

1 Whole Free Range Chook (1.6kg – 1.8kg) (Doesn’t have to be free range but you will notice the difference)

1 Onion

8 Coriander Seeds

8 Black Peppercorns

3 Cloves of Garlic

1 Red Chilli

3cm peeled fresh Ginger

20ml Oil

35g Fish Oil

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1500g Water

2 Lemons

2 Stalks of Lemongrass

2/3 cup of Yellow Lentils

1/2 Cup Fresh Mint

1 Bunch of Coriander

1 Cup of Peas

1 Bunch Baby Bok Choy

1/4 Cabbage

Packet of Flat Rice Noodles

METHOD:

1. Place chicken into slow cooker on high to begin the warming.
2. Place onion, garlic, chili, ginger, coriander seeds and black peppercorns into TM Bowl. Mince on speed 6 for 10 seconds.
3. Add Oil and sauté mix for 2 minutes at 100 degrees.
4. Add fish sauce, Juice of one lemon, water and sugar and cook for 10 minutes 100 degrees.
5. While the stock is cooking, rinse the lentils throughly and add to the slow cooker with chicken and add the lemon grass stalks.
6. Add stock mix to the slow cooker. Should completely cover the chicken.
7. Cook for at least 4 hours. You can let it simmer for longer, to develop a deeper depth of flavour. 30 minutes before serving, remove the chicken, and add the chicken meat back to the slow cooker bowl. It will all break away so you will have to fish all the bones out of the broth.
8. Add Pea’s and half of the mint and coriander chopped finely (Oh just chop the herbs not the peas 🙂 ) to the slow cooker.
9. To serve – thinly slice cabbage, remaining coriander and mint and wash the bok choy. Also soak rice noodles in boiling water to soften. Discard water once noodles are soft. You can also serve with added fresh chilli and a wedge of lemon.
10. Add some of the raw vegetables, herbs and noodles to a serving bowl. Ladle chicken soup broth over the top. The heat of the soup is enough to wilt raw vegetables. Whilst giving the soup a beautiful fresh twist

Chook all ready in the slow cooker for the beautiful broth! Chicken, Lentils and Lemongrass stalks fresh from our herb garden.

With the broth all ready to simmer away in goodness!

The dinner table all set…

Our mix of veg, herbs, lemon and the noodles.

Bowl before broth.

All ready to eat! Yummo

Enjoy.

Cass

xo