The Upside of Indulgence

Hello Lovely people,

Las weekend was heavduty, it was Valentine's💖 Day plus Entroz or Mardi Grass 🥁🎺Sunday. We went a tad overboard with the food menu 

I'd whipped a mix of traditional plus other dishes - Malai Chicken, Mutton Khuddi Curry, Rice, Fugiyas, Boiled Salad n Gajar ka Halwa for dessert🤩.

Soon followed Pancake Tuesday with it's 'last indulgence before Lent' goodness😌. For the week's menu, I had a couple of recipes lined up like: Manchurian Rolls😋, Halloumi and Pesto sandwiches🤤.

Whew! that was alot of food or rather indulgent food eh? I was glad to drown in a soothing soup by end of week. 

I have alot of classic soup favourites, but if I wanna go traditional with my soups, I reach for my Mum's soup recipe called Calde. 

Calde a traditional 'Eastindian' soup blending the goodness of garlic with a choice of indian spices in a hearty meat & bone broth. Every Eastindian home may vary the spices quantities and no wonders I prefer my Mum's. 

Albeit, mum always made Mutton Calde with those unspeakable mutton parts😂. It always felt a tad squeamish but it was SO delicious always, the best cure for colds n other ailments👍🏼. 

Since hubby n me both ain't big mutton fans, I have adapted the recipe to make our version of Chicken Calde. 

The weather is still cold for us to love the soup mode. And itz a must for me to make this recipe once a winter. Try it, let me warn you will be tempted to make this soup more often and not just in winters. 

RECIPE 

Time Taken : 45 to 50 mins

Yield : 3 individual servings

Method :

1) Roast the following spices 1 cardamom, 2 cinnamom sticks, 4 to 5 cloves, 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds. Then coarsely crush them. 

2) Half pod of garlic clean and bruise in a mortar pestle.

3) Heat 1tbsp ghee in a pan, fry the crushed garlic, and the coarse spice mix. Saute till fragrant. 

4) Add 200 gms of chicken breast or thighs and fry till the skin turns opaque. Then add 3 cups of water and cook covered for 15 mins. 

5) Remove the chicken pieces on a chopping board. Once cooled shred a little roughly.

6) Add back to the soup and cook for another 15 mins. Season with salt. Optional add chiken cube 1/2 piece dissolved in a bit of warm water.

7) Optional garnish with freshly crushed pepper and fresh coriander.

8) Serve this Chicken Calde hot with breadsticks or bread croutons of your choice.

The garlic and fragrant spices make this soup amazingly soul satisfying😌

Cheers!!!