Along with the ongoing Covid situation, we’re about to hit the flu season. With this in mind along with being in the process of mending broken bones from my first motorcycle fall, I’ve returned to this easy, light soup with restorative powers. Even the act alone of making soup seems to comfort on these rainy cold days. The herbal stock powder I used when I originally put this recipe together is from the WA herbal products company in Balingup called Tinderbox. It’s unsalted and without processed ingredients, which is why there’s the addition of 2 tsp salt however alternatively use whatever best quality vegetable or chicken stock you can find and adjust the salt to taste.
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
240 g (approx 1 cup) Basmati rice
2 cups cold water
3 lrg (approx. 1kg) skinless free-range chicken breasts
2 litres hot water
2 tsp unsalted herbal stock powder (Tinderbox brand)
2 ½ tsp sea salt
1 leek, thickly sliced
1 sml fennel bulb, trimmed & cut into matchstick pieces
2 sticks celery, sliced
1 ½ tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
fennel fronds & inner celery leaves, to garnish
Method
- Rinse the rice and then bring to a simmer with the 2 cups water and ½ tsp salt.
- With the lid on, turn down to the lowest setting and cook a further 4 – 5 minutes. Reserve to the side.
- In a small stockpot, stir the herbal stock powder and 2 tsp sea salt into the 2 litres of hot water.
- Add the leek, fennel and celery and bring to a simmer. Trim the chicken breast of any sinew and poach in the stock together with the fresh ginger for 4 – 5 minutes, until just firm.
- Remove from the stock and rest to the side for a couple of minutes before slicing.
- Place in warm soup bowls and spoon over the stock and vegetables together with a spoonful of rice.
- Garnish with a little reserved fennel fronds and torn inner celery leaves.
