My Comfort soup
I wanted a comfort soup for my daughter Lizzy who has a nasty case of tonsillitis with a high temperature. I also had a bad day at work ( teaching) as the admin decided I was the only one who could cover the art classes soak most my whole timetable and many of the classes I have committed to and worked hard on will be taught by someone else. So we all know the moments when you just have to suck it up and take it because there is no choice. Chocolate and wine are great but to be a bit healthy the staples of comfort food that is nourishing and restorative is a good option.
Ingredients
For the soup I used fresh herbs but you could cheat and use the tubes of herb paste…the Thai paste is available at Woolworths Supermarket. This recipe will make 2 large pots and should have plenty of liquid. Vegetable quantities are not specific and can easily be varied with what is in the cupboard. Corn would be nice but I unfortunately I am intolerant.
Winter Warming Thai chicken vegetable noodle soup recipe.
1 kg chicken pieces
3 litres chicken stock (11/2 per pot)
Enough water to fill up pots after adding stock.
1 teaspoon sesame oil per pot
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil per pot
I bunch coriander with roots (wash roots well and finely dice as small as you can)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons vegeta per pot ( vegetable stock powder
3 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
I lemon grass finely diced
I teaspoon fish sauce per pot
I large leak or 2 small shredded finely
3 red capsicums diced
Snow peas
Carrots finely sliced into small sticks
Fine egg noodles
4 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste (I used sweet soy as an alternative to sauce and to add sweetness
3 twigs of celery finely diced
Limes
Crusty bread to serve
Step 1
In a mortar and pestle grind the coriander root, ginger and lemongrass to a paste.
Heat the oil in 2 large saucepans over medium-high heat. Add the leak, celery,coriander root, ginger and lemon grass, turmeric and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Step 2
Add the chicken and cook lightly for a few minutes. Add 1 1/2 litres of stick to each pot, add vegeta or extra chicken stock cubes to taste, cover and bring to the boil. At this point I add boiling water to each pot and bring to the boil.
Step 3
Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the capsicum and carrots and cook for a further 5 minutes then add snow peas. Let cook for a couples of minutes more and then add the noodles. You may want to break them before putting them in or lift out with tongues and cut with kitchen scissors so they are not too long. Your choice. Add a small handful of coriander to each pot and stir in.
To serve
Ladle the soup into a bowl. You may choose to stir in baby spinach leaves at this point. They wilt nicely in the heat.
A squeeze of lime juice ( served with lime wedges) and fresh coriander is a nice finishing touch.
Enjoy with crusty fresh bread.