Asian Chicken Soup

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 20 mins
• total time: 2 hours

Ingredients

For the Spice Mix:

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp coriander

1tsp cloves

1 tsp fennel

1tsp cardamom

1/2 cinnamon stick broken into pieces

2 whole star anise

For the Spice Paste:

1 small yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

1 inch piece ginger

2 stalks lemongrass tender midsection only, roughly chopped

For the Soup:

6 cups quality chicken broth

2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces

2 medium potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces (can also substitute noodles and add them during the last few minutes as the package labeling instructs)

2 medium carrots cut into bite-sized pieces

1 teaspoon salt

Juice of 1 lime

For serving:

Bean sprouts chopped cilantro, sliced red chili peppers

Directions

Heat a small skillet and toast the whole spices until fragrant. Let cool and then grind them in a spice/coffee grinder.

Add the ground spices to a food processor along with the ingredients for the Spice Paste. Pulse until ground to a coarse mixture.

In a stock pot, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a small skillet and fry the spice paste for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and chicken pieces, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for one hour.

Remove the chicken pieces. Remove the chicken from the bones and shred the chicken. Set aside. Pour the broth through a sieve to remove the spice paste pulp and return the broth to the pot. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the potatoes, carrots and salt. Return to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for another 25-30 minutes. Squeeze the lime juice in the soup just before serving.

Dish the hot soup into bowls topped with some bean sprouts, cilantro and slices of red chili pepper.