WHOLE CHICKEN & VEGETABLE SOUP

Children love this tasty soup, and it is so warm and nourishing. With loads of garlic, ginger, turmeric, and vegetables, it is the perfect food when winter ails strike you down. This recipe makes enough for a big crowd! Alternatively, keep some in the fridge or freezer for an easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Grating the vegetables makes them cook quicker and makes it harder for little people to identify the ones they don’t always enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2*400g cans of coconut cream (Ayam brand has no preservatives)
• 1.5 Litres of filtered water
• 4*Chicken Maryland pieces or 1 large whole free-range chicken with the skin is on
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 onion or leek or bunch of spring onions diced/sliced
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb size piece of ginger, grated (use more or less to suit your family’s taste)
• 2 thumb size pieces of turmeric, grated (or 1 heaped teaspoon powder)
• 30mL extra virgin olive oil
• 20mL apple cider vinegar (with the mother/unpasteurised)
• 5 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 carrots, grated or chopped finely
• 1 zucchini, grated or chopped finely
• 3 celery stalks sliced finely
• 1 cup cauliflower, chopped finely
• 1 bunch of bok choy, washed and sliced
• ½ bunch kale or silverbeet, washed, stems removed and thinly sliced
• 2 cobs of organic corn, kernels sliced off

FOR SERVING:

• Juice of half a lime or lemon (allow half a fruit per person)
• Handful of coriander, chopped
• Finely sliced fresh chili (optional, use to taste)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 packet of cooked rice noodles (look for ones with ingredients of rice and water)

METHOD:

1. In a large saucepan, place chicken, coconut cream, water, fish sauce, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric, carrot, zucchini, celery, and cauliflower. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour, check the chicken is cooked. If not cooked, keep simmering for 15 minutes before checking again.
3. When cooked, remove the chicken and kaffir lime leaves from the saucepan and take the chicken off the bone.
4. Put chicken back into the saucepan, and add corn kernels, kale/silverbeet, and bok choy. Return to simmer for 5 minutes.
5. If using rice noodles, put some in each bowl and serve soup on top. Top with lemon/lime juice, coriander leaves, chili, salt, pepper, and more olive oil to taste.

I’d love to know what you and your children think of my soup recipe.