Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Nothing feeds the soul quite like a bowl of soup. Hearty in taste and texture, and simmering with flavourful ingredients, soups can be had not just as starters but as a meal in itself.
Tom Yum Goong
There are many ways to make this soup. Here’s a quick way to prepare this Thai specialty.
Ingredients
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, sliced in
• 2-inch pieces
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 inch piece fresh galangal or ginger, sliced
• 2 red chillies, sliced
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 can mushrooms, rinsed and halved
• 1 /2 kg large shrimp, peeled with tails on
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
Preparation
• Boil chicken stock over medium heat in a saucepan.
• Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and chillies.
• Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.
• Uncover and add the fish sauce, sugar, and mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Toss in the shrimps and cook for about 8 minutes until they turn pink.
• Remove from the heat and add the lime juice, green onions, cilantro, and salt. Taste for salt and spices.
Oats Soup with Chicken
and Harees
A mixture of harees, oats, and chicken, this is not only easy to make but easy on the stomach too.
Ingredients
• 1/2 kg chicken with bones
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small stick of cinnamon
• 1.5 litres (6 cups of water)
• 3 cups of Quaker oatmeal
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1/4 tsp of black pepper
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of melted butter
Preparation
• In a large pot, add chicken, chopped onion, cinnamon stick, and water. Bring to a boil and cook until very tender.
• Remove chicken and debone if you have to. Then place into a food processor and blend. Or you can finely chop the chicken.
• Using a strainer, drain the stock into a large pot.
• Add the shredded chicken, the 3 cups of Quaker oats, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Stir using a whisk.
• Add more water if necessary. Bring to a boil and check every 5 to 10 minutes. Stir each time you check on it. Add more boiling water if necessary. Cook for about 40 minutes. Add the melted butter, stir. and then serve.
Broccoli Soup
Try this easy broccoli soup alongside grilled sandwiches, buttered toasts, or croutons.
Ingredients
• 4 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1 big fresh broccoli, cut in florets
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup cream
• Salt and freshly ground black
pepper
Preparation
• Melt 4tbsp butter in heavy medium pot over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, onion, carrot, salt, and pepper and sauté until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, until the flour turns golden. Add stock and bring to boil.
• Simmer uncovered until broccoli is tender, for about 15 minutes. Pour in cream. In a blender, puree the soup. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and then replace the lid back on the pot. Serve hot.
Tomato Coriander Soup
A soothing soup with fresh flavours of tomato and coriander leaves, you can have this one on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 700 g tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 small leek, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp crushed black pepper and salt
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• Single light cream (to garnish)
Preparation
• In a medium pot, heat oil and cook chopped tomatoes, shallots, leek, and bay leaf for a few minutes until transparent. Do not brown.
• Add garlic, chilli flakes, black pepper, salt to taste, tomato paste and coriander, then add vegetable stock.
• Bring to boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
• Mix cornflour in a little cold water and set aside. Remove from heat and blend to your preferred consistency.
• Return the soup to heat adding cornflour mix and stir over gentle heat about 2- 3 minutes until thickened.
• Pour into bowls and garnish with swirls
of cream.
Indonesian Meatball Soup
Ingredients
• 1 kg minced beef
• 7 cloves of garlic (sliced and fried)
• 1 tsp fried onion
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper
• 200 – 300g chicken breast
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 200ml very cold water
Preparation
• In a food processor, put minced beef, garlic, fried onion, egg, salt and pepper. Blitz until pale pink (it has to be smooth, like a very thick paste). Transfer to a bowl.
• Do the same with chicken breast. Roughly cut the chicken breast, put in a food processor and blitz until nice and smooth. Put in the bowl with the beef in it.
• Add in flour and water. Mix well.
• Boil water in a pot and add a pinch of salt. When it’s boiling, reduce the heat, and simmer.
• Make balls of chicken and beef mixture.
• Wait until they float, it means they are ready and cooked. Take them out.
• Don’t throw the water as it contains good flavour from the beef. It can be used for the broth.
For the broth
• 1/2 medium size onion, sliced
• 6 cloves of garlic (sliced, fried)
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• Salt and pepper
• Just add all ingredients into the beef stock and bring to boil.
• Before you serve the meat balls, put them into the broth so it is warm and nice.
• Serve with pok choy, soya sauce, fried onions, parsley, chilli sauce, and lime.
