Nan’s Quick Thai Chicken and Potato Soup

The pull of our roots can be such a strong force, no matter how far or wide we may roam.

 Lauren McDuffie

Hey, Lovelies.

This simple Thai flavours chicken soup is one of my favourites. The recipe was given to me many years ago by a girl I met at University. Nan was Thai, and had moved to Australia with her parents when she was small. This soup was one of the things her Grandmother cooked for them on visits back to Thailand, and Nan’s mum made it at home for them almost weekly in Australia. It’s cheap, filling and fast to make. One bowlful and of course I had to ask for the recipe! It’s the first Thai food I ever ate, but it started a love affair with their fresh clean flavours.

This soup is a great meal for when you want something hearty in a hurry. The poached chicken is succulent and tender, and the broth and vegetables are richly flavoured. It also reheats well too.

I hope you try it.
Love, and those soupy-good vibes of self-care and nurture, Nicole xx

Ingredients

• 8 chicken wings, tips removed and sectioned at the joint (or buy them pre-cut for simplicity)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 cups of peeled, diced raw potato (this can be approximate)
• 1 long thin purple eggplant (Asian eggplant) cut into rings
• 1 medium onion, peeled, halved and cut into slices
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced or cut very finely
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari if you are gluten-free)
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, cracked or ground (black is okay of you don’t have white)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped into wedges
• 1 cup of coriander (cilantro) chopped
• 1/2 cup of chopped green onions
• 6 cups of water

Method

1. Place the chicken wings in a bowl and pour the fish sauce over them. Toss well and leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
2. To a large pot add the water, onion, garlic, pepper and soy sauce. Bring to a boil.
3. Carefully add the chicken and any juices to the pot and then return heat to simmer. Cook the chicken in the broth for 15 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes and eggplant to the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, spring onions and half the coriander and cook for 3 to five minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
6. Taste the broth and add a touch more soy sauce if it is not salty enough.
7. To serve, ladle into bowls and add some more chopped coriander on top.

You can also serve this soup with a bowl of steamed rice on the side. Delicious!