Both Mrs Flannestad and I feel like we’ve been fighting off bugs lately, just tired a lot of the time.
Might be allergies, or maybe just restless pets waking us up during the night when the neighborhood raccoons are out.
But a little homemade chicken soup never hurts.
1 Whole Chicken, Quartered
1 Carrot, roughly chopped
1 Onion, roughly chopped
2 Garlic cloves, smashed
1 tsp whole Black Pepper corns
3 Whole Cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick
Cover above ingredients with water, bring to a low simmer, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from water and rest until cool enough to handle. Strip chicken from bones, trying not to drop any on the floor, reserve, and return bones, skin, and cartilage to water. Cook as long as time allows. Strain Solids from stock and reserve.
1 large onion, chopped
1 inch piece ginger, skinned and finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Curry Powder*
1 Pound Sweet potatoes
Reserved Chicken Broth
Reserved Chicken Meat
1 Can Garbanzo Beans
1 Tablespoon Curry Powder*
Olive Oil
Cook onion, ginger and garlic in olive oil until tender with one tablespoon curry powder. Add broth and sweet potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender. Puree soup with a hand blender, in a blender, or food processor. Return to pot, add chicken meat, remaining tablespoon of Curry Powder, and Garbanzo beans. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Check seasonings, and serve with a spoonful of Cucumber Raita** in each bowl.
*Curry Powder
1 tsp Whole Coriander Seed
1 tsp Whole Cumin Seed
1 tsp Whole Fennel Seed
1 tsp Whole Fenugreek
1 tsp Whole Brown Mustard Seed
4 Whole Cloves
1 Small Stick Cinnamon, Broken
1/2 tsp White Peppercorns
1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns
3 Whole Chili de Arbol
1 tsp Ground Tumeric
Toast whole spices in a dry pan until fragrant. Grind in Coffee Mill or Spice Grinder. Add Tumeric.
**Cucumber and Basil Raita
1 small Cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
Tops of 3 Green Onions, thinly sliced
2 TBSP Cilantro Leaves, thinly sliced
1 Cup Yoghurt
Orange juice
Salt, to taste
Toss Cucumber with salt and let stand in a colander for a bit. Rinse Cucumber and pat dry with towels. Chop Cucumber and combine with other ingredients. Thin slightly with orange juice, add salt to taste and chill.