Chicken Yakhni

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

With winter fast approaching i have here a delicious flavourful hearty soupthat is perfect for those dark dreary winter days. This yakhni has a very Ayuverdic touch, with antioxidants and antiseptic properties all being provided from the spices used. No oil is used in this soup as the chicken releases its own fat when cooking. It is a staple in my home. I have this prepared for the children when they return from school on those cold days. It really is a perfect soup for fighting off colds and flu's.
No wonder in Jewish culture chicken soup is known as Jewish penicilin. :)

This is my recipe for natures very own penicilin.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken cut into pieces ( I had some chicken wings in freezer which I also added)
1 large onion
5 cloves of garlic (grated)
2 inch piece of ginger (grated)
5 large black cardamoms
10 cloves
1 stick of cinnamon
1 star anise
1 tbsn of black peppercorns
1 1/2 tbsn of ground fennel seeds
1 tbsn of ground coriander seeds
1 tbsn of ground cumin
1/5 tbsn of garam masala
1 tbsn of tumeric
Salt to tast
1 egg (optional)
Enough water to cover chicken

Method:

Put the chicken and all the other ingredients into a pot and pour in water, enough to coimpletely cover chicken by at least 2 inches. Keep heat on high and bring to boil. Let it boil for 10 mins then turn down to medium for about half an hour.

Make sure chicken has cooked through, remove from pot and set aside to cool.

Sieve soup into another bowl, discard all the spices, onion, garlic and ginger.

Place pot back onto heat and on medium heat and allow to simmer on low heat.
When chicken is cool enough to touch remove from the bone and shred.

Put shredded chicken back into pot of soup and cook together for another 15 mins, or until soup has reached desired consistency.

This part is optional, beat 1 egg in a bowl. Pour slowly into soup stirring continuously until you see swerves of egg in the soup.

Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve with lemon wedge and some crusty bread.

Turmeric is part of the Ginger family and is used in Ayuverdic medicine to clear infections and inflammations both outside and inside the body. :)