Chicken soup (thick)

Chicken soup recipe varies from country to country and even city to city, as it is the most sought entree during cold weather. In my native place we make clear soups which are plain and simple. But in Chennai, the chicken soups are thicker and made with more spices, flour, veggies to satisfy everyone. Try this and enjoy!

Chennai chicken soup

Ingredients:
Chicken - 200 gm
(drumstick or any piece with bones. while buying whole chicken  reserve neck and some ribs for making soup or broth.)
red onion / shallot - 1/2 cup
garlic - 1 whole
butter - 2 tsp + 1 tsp
AP flour - 2 tbsp
tomato - 2
cilantro , mint - handful
cumin, fennel - 1/2 tsp each
cloves - 2
bay leaf -1
cinnamon -1 inch
turmeric powder - 1 tsp
pepper powder - as per need
cumin powder - as per need
salt - as per need

Method:
Clean and rinse the chicken. Cut the chicken into small pieces. 
Heat 2 tsp butter in a large pan. Add 2 cloves, fennel, bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin. Put the onion and peeled garlic and fry till they get tender.
In a pressure cooker vessel  put the chicken, 2 cups water, turmeric powder, chopped tomato, chopped cilantro, mint, fried onion garlic.
Pressure cook for 1 whistle, reduce flame and cook for 10 minutes. switch off.
After the pressure is gone,  open the lid. Take out the chicken pieces and mash the other ingredients using a spoon.
In the mean time heat 1 tsp butter in the large pan and fry the 2 tbsp maida (AP flour) for few seconds. Pour the cooked chicken along with all the soup to the soup pan. Add 3 cups of water.
Add required salt, pepper powder, cumin powder. Bring it to a boil. Switch off or keep warm till served. Chicken soup is ready!

Note:
Serve along with main course or appetizer.
Makes 5 servings.
Sometimes I add 1 knorr soup cube to thicken the soup, instead of flour. Both tastes good.
Instead of pepper powder,  grind 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tsp sea salt  and  1 tsp cumin to add to this soup.
If needed garnish with freshly chopped spring onion or cilantro.

Tomato Rasam.

Ingredients
Ripe tomatoes - 2
Tamarind extract - 2 teaspoon.
(from a gooseberry size ball of tamarind)
Red chillies - 2
black pepper - 1 teaspoon
cumin seed- 1/2 tsp
garlic - 3 pearls.
turmeric- a pinch
asafoetida - a pinch.
Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) - 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - 1 brig
chopped coriander leaves - 1 tsp
water - 2 cups
jaggery - very small piece (1 tsp, if crushed)
salt - 1 tsp
oil (ghee)- 1 tbsp.

Method:
Add hot water to the tamarind and extract the juice. Keep it aside.
Chop the tomatoes finely.
coarsely grind the pepper, garlic and cumin seeds. Mix turmeric and asafoetida with it and keep aside.
In a pan add little oil/ ghee and put mustard seeds , methi seeds.
After hearing the crackling sound of mustard seeds add red chillies and curry leaves.
Immediately add the ground mixture to the pan and fry for 30 seconds.
Add tomatoes and stir it till the tomato gets half cooked.
Add the tamarind extract and the jaggery.
Add 2 cups of water
Switch off the flame as you see white bubbles or some froth gathering above.
Do not allow the Rasam to boil.
After switching off the flame , add salt and chopped coriander leaves.
Serving suggestions:
Makes 1/2 litre of Tomato Rasam.
Serve hot with rice after Sambar rice.
It can be served like clear soup after filtering (after dinner). It helps in digestion.

Note:
We can totally avoid that tamarind part , instead add juice from 1/4 lemon after switching off the flame.