Home-made Chicken Ginger Miso Soup

The change of seasons can put additional stress on the body. A healthy immune system is dependent on an optimal intake of the right nutrients and the best way to boost these is through your diet. Easy to prepare, warm and tasty – just what our Nutritional therapist, Christine Bailey, suggests we should all have to prevent and to recover from colds and flu.  

Chicken Ginger Miso Soup (Serves 6)

Ingredients: 

• Bunch of coriander leaves
• 3cm piece of fresh root ginger
• 300g bean sprouts or sprouted Mung beans
• Handful of spinach leaves or 1 pak choy
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 6 shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 3tbsp goji berries
• Squeeze of lime juice
• 1tbsp white miso paste

For the stock

• 1 organic Chicken, about 1-1.3kg
• 3 litres of water
• 1tsp black peppercorns
• 3cm piece of fresh root ginger, sliced
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2tbsp fish sauce

Preparation:

1. Put the chicken in a large pan and cover with the water. Add the peppercorns, ginger and onion and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the fish sauce. Cook for 1 hour until the meat is tender. 
2. Remove the chicken and take off all the meat. Place the bones back into the stock and simmer for a further 1 hour. Strain the stock and reserve. Discard the vegetables and bones. When the stock is cool you can refrigerate it or freeze it if not making the soup immediately.
3. You can keep the stock in the fridge for 2 days and the chicken meat – keep it covered to stop it from drying out.
4. When you want to eat the soup bring the stock to the boil and let it simmer, adding a little fish sauce to taste. Peel and grate the ginger and to the soup with shredded chicken, spinach, beansprouts, mushrooms and spring onions. Heat through for 2-3 minutes then add the lime juice, miso and coriander leaves. Stir for 1 minute then serve.

Bon appetite!