Chicken Yakhni (Clear Whole-Spice Chicken Broth Soup)
A clear, gently spiced chicken soup simmered with fennel, ginger, garlic and whole spices, then finished with shredded chicken and lemon. Warming, light and easy to make on a cold evening.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large heavy-bottomed pot with lid, fine sieve, small frying pan, slotted spoon
Method
Put the chicken, water, onion, sliced ginger, crushed garlic, fennel, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and green chillies into a large pot. Do not add the salt yet.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, which takes about 10 minutes. Skim off the grey foam that rises to the top with a slotted spoon until the surface is fairly clear.
Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, add the salt and cover with the lid slightly ajar. Cook for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is very tender, pulls easily off the bone and reads 74°C at the thickest part.
Lift the chicken out onto a plate. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot, pressing the onion and garlic lightly, then discard the whole spices.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bones.
Return the broth to a low simmer and add the shredded chicken. Taste and adjust the salt.
Heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat and fry the sliced garlic for about 1 minute, until pale golden. Pour it straight into the soup.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and fresh coriander. Ladle into bowls and top with ginger matchsticks and a pinch of crushed black pepper.
Cooking tips
- Start with cold water and skim early so the broth stays clear and clean-tasting.
- Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil makes the broth cloudy and the chicken stringy.
- Bones give the broth body, so use bone-in pieces such as legs, thighs or a cut-up whole chicken.
- Add the salt after skimming so you can judge the final seasoning more easily.
Substitutions
- Use a whole cut-up chicken or chicken drumsticks in place of mixed pieces.
- If you do not have coriander seeds, use 1 tsp ground coriander added to the pot.
- Replace ghee with any neutral oil for the finishing tarka.
- Add a small diced carrot and a handful of thin noodles or rice in the last 10 minutes for a heartier soup.
Serve with
Serve hot in deep bowls with lemon wedges and extra black pepper. It goes well with toasted bread, a little plain boiled rice stirred in, or as a starter before a rice dish.
Storage
Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. It also freezes well for up to 2 months; freeze without the lemon and coriander.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a pot over medium heat until steaming hot throughout, adding a splash of water if needed. Add fresh lemon juice and coriander after reheating.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.
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