Op Shop gold…Charmaine Solomon and Indonesian Chicken Soup
Oct 15th, 2008 by Dani
If I was asked (or even if I wasn’t) to name my favourite cook book author, I’m fairly sure the answer is Charmaine Solomon. Which provided for a happy moment within a rotten task.
Lil Miss has finally grown long enough legs to enable her to climb on to the ladderless top bunk. Which means that it is now safer to put the ladder on. Which means Son and Heir may as well sleep in the top bunk, Lil Miss in the bottom and the cot can get sold. Which makes the Ankle Biters room a whole lot bigger. Something I was hoping to hold off on for much longer. C’est la vie.
Just to add to the annoyance value, when we bought the bunk, we only bought one mattress. Which meant a trip to Ikea yesterday. A place fairly close to my room 101. As a reward and inspired by Docwitch, I stopped by the Abbotsford Salvos on the way. Where I found 7 little Charmaine Solomon books for $1 each. I haven’t had a chance to flick through them yet but I have faith in Charmaine.
Since yesterday morning, the cold I was battling has turned into a full blown, nasty, croupy bark, to sick to go to work, chest infection. Most unpleasant. No taste, no smell, no appetite. So I need chicken soup. The thought of my usual variety of Jewish penicillin was totally unappealing. Never fear, Charmaine to the rescue. I may even feel a little perkier since dinner. Or maybe that was just the alcohol.I could actually smell the stock simmering, it smelt like healing. Bliss.
This makes a ton. I have kept some noodles and egg uncooked and will cook them tomorrow and serve them with some of the soup for lunch.
Indonesian Chicken Soup
serves 6 - 8
slightly altered from One Course Meals by Charmaine Solomon.
1 chicken, jointed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
12 sprigs celery leaves
4 small onions, peeled
500g fine egg noodles
2 tablespoons rice bran oil
2 teaspoons chopped chilli
4 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon chilli powder
juice 1 large lemon
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
4 spring onions, finely sliced
- Place chicken pieces with one onion, celery leaves, salt and pepper in a large pot with 2.5 litres of water. Bring to the boil and simmer until chicken is just cooked through.
- Strain the stock. Seperate chicken flesh, skin and bones. Set flesh, cut into piece, aside for soup, give skin to cat as a rare treat, crush bones in the thermomix and throw them in the bokashi
- Cook noodles according to packet instructions and set aside
- Slice remaining onions. Wash the pan you first used and then heat oil in it. Fry onion and chilli, stirring. When onion starts to bron, add garlic, ginger and shrimp paste. Stir, Add remaining spices and stir some more.
- Add stock, bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add chicken. Heat through.
- To serve, divide noodles amongst bowls. Turn off heat, stir in lemon juice and pour soup over noodles. Top with chopped egg and spring onions.
Oh my goodness! That is so funny. I very, very nearly scooped up those very books when I was at the Salvos the other day! But at that point I was attempting to restrain myself.
Obviously they were meant to be for you! It certainly makes up for the Ikea purgatory doesn’t it?
Docwitchs last blog post..The To-Do List. Du Jour.
I have some of those cookbooks. I’ve cooked from them many a time. Love Charmaine too
That is a nice twist on a standard chicken soup recipe. If chicken soup and curry spices don’t make you feel better soon, then I don’t know what will! (Chocolate maybe?)
Chicken soup, in any language is A Good Thing.
Hope you feel better.
Nates last blog post..Big List of "Things You Must Eat" Lists
Docwitch that is indeed funny! Even in the blogosphere Melbourne is a small microcosm. One needs a reward after braving Ikea.
Tracey good to hear it’s a good set. I still haven’t really looked through. Not inspiring when you can’t taste anything.
Erik I think even chocolate would have failed me yesterday, chicken soup and curry spices was definitely the cure du jour. I highly recommend it next time lurgy strikes.
So true Nate. And I do indeed feel much improved to day.
hello, I was wondering if you knew about Melbourne’s collaborative op shopping blog ‘I op therefore I am’
http://melb-opshopping.blogspot.com/
there are links there to maps and addresses of Melbourne’s op shops. let me know if you are interested in joining.
regards, Amelia
Amelias last blog post..i knit a hat
Hi Amelia,
I have read ‘I op…’. I will contact you.