Broths and soups in the west are usually thought of as a food for the colder months of the year due to its ability to ‘warm the inner cockles of the body’. For East Asian families, soup is another dish amongst others in a standard dinner fare.
As far as I’m aware in the English language there’s a distinction between soups and broths where the former is usually blended ingredients in stock creating thicker consistency whereas the latter is ingredients cooked in stock to impart flavour only resulting in a much thinner consistency. The ingredients are either removed from the final broth before serving or left in to be consumed.
In my limited knowledge of the Cantonese language; both soups and broths are interchangeable with the Chinese word ‘Torng’ 湯 so I’ve always regarded both as just simply soup.
For myself growing up in a Chinese household, we would have a big serving bowl full of soup that is usually dished out to be consumed before the main body of meal as an appetiser however seconds can be had throughout the meal and I would often have a 50/50 mix of broth and rice to accompany the communal dishes.
The soups were often simple and humble but had a depth of flavour that couldn’t be denied. This soup is a mix of what I enjoy, and the simpleness of what I was brought up with.
Ingredients
- Water
- Chicken – For this recipe, I used Leg however any cut is fine both boned and boneless
- Spring Onion
- Garlic – Peeled and trim off the root
- Ginger – Peeled and cut into thin slices
- Salt to taste
- Noodles / Rice to accompany
Optional extras
- Chilli Flakes
Method
- Place chicken, ginger, 2cm pieces of spring onion, and garlic in the pot and add enough water to cover
- Bring everything up to a boil and boil for 15 Minutes before turning low and simmer for 10 minutes
- Use a skimmer or spoon every so often to remove the floating scum foam. this keeps the broth clearer and has a cleaner taste
- After the simmering, remove garlic from the broth and crush into a rough paste with a pinch of salt as an abrasive. If you want to add some heat, sprinkle in some chilli flakes
- Add a teaspoon of the resulting paste back into the broth and salt to taste
- Once the meat is cooked through, remove the chicken and shred the meat. Depending on your preference, you can add the meat back into the stock or toss with the remainder of the garlic paste that you reserved. The meat should be soft enough that it will fall off the bone anyway with a small amount of pressure from a spoon
- If you have chosen to add your shredded chicken back into the stock, remaining paste can be loosened down with a tablespoon of the broth and be mixed in to flavour your accompanying bowl of noodle or rice.
- Add a tablespoon of finely sliced spring onion for garnish and freshness to your soup
- Serve and enjoy
#MadeByKen