Where does this expression ‘Chicken soup for the soul’ come from? Chicken soup, in its purest form, as a clear broth with vegetables and chicken meat is also known as ‘the Jewish Penicillin’ and must therefore be as old as the hills themselves.
There is even a website called jewishpenicillin.com which claims that “Dr Stephen Rennard, a specialist in pulmonary medicine, put his wife’s grandmother’s chicken soup recipe to the test. He concluded that chicken soup actually has a mild medicinal effect, inhibiting inflammation of the cells in the nasal passage, reducing the symptoms of a cold. So chicken soup really can help you get better!”
h4. Anti-bacterial properties
They add that one need not be Jewish to enjoy the benefits of this fine, soothing dish. In her book Nigella Bites, Nigella Lawson claims that same broth has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties and is therefore of interest to anyone on the lookout for non-patented flu remedies. Not being of the Jewish faith I was not brought up on this soup. I discovered, however, on travels across Asia that chicken soup, with noodles or rice, is the backbone of most South East Asian kitchens.
In Vietnam, soup kitchens are mere holes in the walls of the bustling city streets where little women dish out huge bowls of piping hot liquid to hungry diners, often as early as 5am. Here the soup is full of fresh noodles, chicken meat and ladles of hot broth, and topped off with handfuls of fresh green herbs, mint, basil, coriander and as much chilies as your throat can take.
The island of Hainan, off the coast of China, created the famous Chinese chicken rice dish, which is sold by street hawkers in Singapore and Penang. The whole chicken is boiled and the meat is served in chunks with a bowl of clear, hot broth, a bowl of steamed rice and some dipping sauces for the chicken meat. It’s a pure and simple dish, cleansing and satisfying but with mass appeal.
During the Irish winter I found that I am prone to coughs, colds and sore throats, and my acupuncturist (“madman”, I hear you cry!) suggested I make a chicken soup like this for all the reasons I just mentioned.
h4. Traditional Chinese medicine
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the chicken holds all its impurities in its skin so it’s important to remove the skin from the whole bird first. If you do plan on making this you will need a large stock pot (the bigger the pot the more water you can fit in and the more soup you can make).
An organic chicken may taste better, but since it’s being boiled, you may not want to go to that expense. I can’t say for sure that it cured any of my ailments, as, in time, and with rest, they clear up anyway. But the soup is warming and just when you need it most, it’s like a good hug for the inside of your body and soul.
Once you have the basic soup you can pretty much go any direction you like with it. Add potatoes if that’s your thing but you will muddy the waters of what is a traditionally clear broth. A clear stock is achieved by keeping the simmer temperature low, so be patient. There is no work in this dish but it takes some time until it’s cooked.
The great part is that you will have enough for two or three days, depending on your brood, and if you serve it up with noodles, kids will love it. My two will have two or three bowls each, one day with rice, the next day with noodles. If you feel the soup lacks flavour, then sneak in a chicken stock cube to give it some oomph – that’s what got Anthony Bourdain through catering college!
After many years of soup-eating (drinking?) this is the recipe I now stick to. When the chicken is cooked, I usually fish it out and let it drain before taking off the meat, it’s also easier to store the chicken in the fridge on a plate afterwards. You can freeze portions of the soup and chicken together for future cold, wet, Irish winter days.
h4. Recipe
Chicken Noodle Soup with an Asian slant
You will need:
1 very large pot, big enough to take a whole chicken plus extra;
1 chicken, the size is up to you, preferably organic;
2 cloves garlic peeled;
4 coin-sized slices of fresh ginger;
1 onion;
2 carrots;
Water, at least 4 litres;
Noodles, any kind;
Soy sauce to serve;
Fresh bean sprouts, sliced chilies, spring onions, mint, coriander are all optional.
To prepare
Skin the chicken whole, if you don’t want to do this ask the butcher to do it for you.
Place the chicken in the pot and cover with cold water, add the other ingredients and bring to a boil. As soon as it is boiling turn the heat down to so that the water is barely bubbling, leave it to cook like this for an hour.
A quickly boiled stock will result in a cloudy looking liquid and a slow cooked one will give you a lovely, clear result. The chicken will be meltingly tender and moist if you cook it like this. Let the chicken cool in the pot for at least and hour then return it to the heat. In another pot cook your noodles according to the packet’s instructions. Pile the fresh herbs onto a plate and put in the centre of the table for people to help themselves
Divide the noodles between the bowls, top with some chicken and ladle over the hot stock, top with your chosen accompaniments and season with soy sauce.
For a Vietnamese variation, use fish sauce and lime juice instead of soy sauce. The possibilities are endless. Leftover chicken and stock can be kept in the fridge for up to two days.
I’d love to hear what any of you medical practitioners think of the chicken soup theory. If you try it please let me know how you get on at: voconnor1000@gmail.com
Or you can log on to www.valskitchen.com for more foodie stuff.
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