ASIAN INSPIRED SOUPS TO BEAT THE WINTERY CHILLS- Chicken & Coconut, Spicy Basil-Mint Chicken Soup, Beef meatball soup with spinach

STORMS LASHING UK 2014

Here are some simple soups to help you keep warm and well these cold months:

CHICKEN-COCONUT SOUP

serves 4

1tbsp vegetable oil
2 inch piece of fresh ginger grated
3 cloves garlic smashed and minced
2 small red chili peppers finely chopped or 1 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
7 scallions trimmed and finely chopped

8ozs button mushrooms halved 
2 inches lemongrass or grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tbsp lemon or lime juice
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups coconut milk
4 dried lime leaves
light soy sauce to taste

2 skinless,boneless chicken breasts thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves for garnish

method:

heat the oil in a pan and add the ginger, garlic, scallions, fresh chili, and cilantro and stir for 4 mins on medium high heat, do not brown.
Add the sliced mushrooms and lemon grass and cook a further 2 mins.
Add the stock, and coconut milk & lime leaves,(and dried chili flakes if using) increase heat to high simmer then turn to medium and cook for 10 mins.
Add the lime juice and any soy sauce to taste , and the sliced chicken
Cook for 5 mins then remove the lemon grass, lime leaves and serve soup garnished with cilantro leaves




SPICY BASIL-MINT CHICKEN SOUP

serves 4

2 cloves garlic smashed and minced
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast thinly sliced
2 tbsp light soy sauce
8 cups chicken stock
2 red chilies minced/1 tsp red chili flakes
1 cup chopped onion

1 cup basil leaves
8 ozs bean sprouts
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
2 tbsp red chili paste

6 ozs dried rice noodles ( or cooked noodles of choice)

Method
In a large saucepan bring the chicken stock to high simmer and add the red chilies/dried chilies, garlic, onion.
Bring to medium simmer and add the chicken and cook for 5 mins, adding soy sauce to taste

 Rice noodles: cover with boiling water in a bowl and allow to stand for 3-4 mins to soften, if using cooked noodles, cover them with boiling water just to heat them

To serve:

place warm noodles in each warm bowl, cover with chicken soup and offer the other ingredients in small bowls for guests to add as they please.
Also offering extra soy sauce



BEEF MEATBALL SOUP WITH SPINACH
serves 4

1 pound very lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced cilantro
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
3 cloves garlic smashed and minced
1/4 cup minced parsley
2 inches ginger grated

mix all above together well, then, using a tsp. make small balls and refrigerate for 2 hours


6 cups beef stock
4 tsp fresh lemon or lime juice
 Bring the stock to a rolling boil, and cook the meatballs in batches over low simmer for  3-4 mins. set aside and keep warm
when all meatballs are cooked, skim the beef stock and add the lime juice.
return the meatballs to the stock and heat through then either add the cooked noodles or
serve the warm noodles in a bowl and top with the meatball soup.

Serve with the following in small bowls for guests to serve themselves:
1 cup baby spinach leaves well washed and drained
1 cup bean sprouts washed and drained
lime or lemon wedges
red chili paste


Variation this soup may be made with ground lean chicken,pork or turkey & chicken stock