SOUP LOVE

So following on from my intro, I thought I'd share one of my favourite soup recipes with you.  It's really quick, satisfying and disappears quicker than a London looter in my house whenever I make a pot.

Like all home cooks, I tweak quantities in recipes.  I still don't have the cheffy capability for increasing ingredients to serve huge numbers but as I don't plan to open a restaurant or appear on Masterchef, despite the Fabulous Baker Girl's attempts to persuade me otherwise, it's all just trial and error. 

This recipe calls for tamarind paste (don't worry not that obscure) you can leave it out but it does make a difference.  If you're in the Glasgow area Seewoo supermarket is a veritable treasure chest for ingredients and at reasonable prices.  I love to just wander around looking at the cornucopia of supplies on offer but I digress and my love of Seewoo will be borne out in later posts.

HOT AND SPICY THAI CHICKEN SOUP

Serves 2

750ml chicken stock
1/4-1/2 red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped
1 small lemongrass stalk, outer leaves removed and finely chopped
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
handful of coriander, stalks left whole and tied in little bundle, leaves roughly chopped
1 skinless chicken breast
1 spring onion, finely sliced
2 tablespoons of fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons of lime juice

Bring the stock to the boil in saucepan with chilli, lemongrass, tamarind paste, ginger and stalks of coriander.
Once boiling gently lower the chicken breast into the stock and simmer for 20mins, covered. Turn the chicken over half way through the cooking time.
Discard the coriander stalks and remove the chicken breast.  Thinly slice the chicken and add back into soup with the spring onions, chopped coriander, fish sauce and lime juice.
Reheat and once piping hot, serve.

*this recipe taken from cook yourself thin