We have all heard about chicken soup being a natural ‘penicillin’ because of its healing properties. It is always cooked by our mothers and grandmothers as soon as we have a cold or are feeling sick. It is found in all cultures across the world served slightly differently.

I personally cook this soup for my family in sickness and health ! My boys love submerging pieces of baguette into their soup bowls.  I sit back satisfied, looking at their nearly empty bowls and a rather messy dinning table.

The Iraqi version uses rice, dried lime, cardamon and turmeric.  Of course you can still make a great soup without these spices if you can’t find them. You do need the rice to give it the Iraqi twist.  Celery is not found in Iraq so I added that in for its high antioxidants and nutrients.

Ingredients

1 whole small chicken  OR  4 pieces of chicken with skin on.

2 large carrots

4 potatoes

1 large white onion

1 small piece of ginger

1/2 cup of rice

2 cardamon pods

1 dried lime

1 teaspoon turmeric

seasoning

Method

Step 1- In a bowl wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes. Peal and chop all the vegetables. Remove the skin from ginger and cut into few pieces.

Step 2- In a pot or pressure cooker add some oil and place the chicken, cook till skin is brown and you see some fat juice. Add the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes.

Step 3- Drain the bowl of rice making sure rice is washed. Add the rice, spices and seasoning to the pot, mix and then add water. Water should reach half the pot, but you will probably add some more, as the water will reduce.

Step 4- Place lid on and cook till chicken is tender.  With a large spoon take out the chicken and the skin that might have fall off and place on a plate. Once cool, shred the chicken and place back into the pot.

Serve soup hot with bread …

Enjoy