Thai Chicken Soup, Mushroom Ginger Soup And Italian Minestrone Soup by Zarnak Sidhwa

Ingredients for Thai Chicken Soup:

• Coconut milk 2-1/2 cups
• Ginger 1/2 cup
• Lemon grass 15
• Fresh lemon leaves 1
• Onion, chopped 1/2
• Chicken 1/2 cup
• Salt 1/2 tsp
• Hot thai chillies 5-6 small
• Coconut cream 1 cup
• Lemon juice 3 tbsp
• Thai fish sauce 2 tbsp
  

Method:

1. Bring the coconut milk to a boil and add the galangal, lemon grass, onion and lemon leaves.
2. Add the chicken, salt and simmer slowly over low heat.
3. When the chicken is cooked through, pour the coconut cream into the soup, stir gently and when the soup returns to a boil, turn off the heat.
4. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and chillies.
5. Transfer to a bowl and serve hot.
   

Ingredients for Mushroom Ginger Soup:

• Button mushrooms 25
• Ginger, finely 1-1/2 inch piece
• Cooked rice 1/4 cup
• Oil 1 tbsp
• Oil for frying
• Bean sprouts 1 cup
• Vegetable stock 6 cups
• Soya sauce 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper powder to taste
• Sugar 1 tsp
• Corn flour 2 tbsp
• Vinegar 1/2 tbsp
• Spring onion greens 2-3
  

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the cooked rice till crisp.
2. Drain an absorbent paper and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non stick pan.
4. Add ginger and saute for a minute.
5. Add mushrooms and toss on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add bean sprouts and toss.
7. Add 5-1/2 cups vegetables stock and allow to boil.
8. Add the soya sauce, salt, black pepper powder and sugar, mix well.
9. Dissolve corn flour in the remaining vegetable stock and add this to the soup.
10. Once the soup thickens, add vinegar and cook for 1 minute.
11. Serve piping hot garnished with spring onion and crisp fried rice.
    

Ingredients for Italian Minestrone Soup:

• Beans, boiled 1/2 cup
• Stock cubes 2
• Water 2 cups
• Onion, chopped 1
• Carrots, chopped 3
• Celery, chopped 3
• Potatoes chopped 1 cup
• Garlic, chopped 3-4 cloves
• Olive oil 2 tbsp
• Tomato paste 3 tbsp
• Small macaroni, boiled 1 cup
• Tomatoes, chopped 1 cup
• Cabbage chopped 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Cheese, grated 1 tbsp
  

Method:

1. Heat olive oil and saute onion, garlic, cabbage, carrots, celery, potatoes, add tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, also add stock cubes and water.
2. Let cook, add in beans once vegetables are done and then add macaroni, salt and pepper, simmer, garnish with grated cheese and serve hot.