This recipe is adapted from a chicken coconut lentil recipe that I read some years back on the net. I adapted it for my family (4 kids) to make 2 separate meals. I first cook the chicken with lots of delicious winter veggies, carrots, leeks, turnips, celery - this is up to you and your family tastes. I make a really big pot as to have plenty of soup/stock.
The first evening I serve the vegetables and stock as a soup, you may add vermicelle (angel's hair) or any tiny pasta as well as fresh herbs to spunk up the soup.
That same evening, I remove all the flesh from the cooked chicken. The bones can be used again to make more stock for freezing. The following day, make the chicken lentil soup as follows:
The first evening I serve the vegetables and stock as a soup, you may add vermicelle (angel's hair) or any tiny pasta as well as fresh herbs to spunk up the soup.
That same evening, I remove all the flesh from the cooked chicken. The bones can be used again to make more stock for freezing. The following day, make the chicken lentil soup as follows:
Ingredients:
- 1 cooked chicken de-boned and torn into bite-sized pieces or you may replace with cooked chicken breasts for quicker preparation
- 3 cups cooked lentils
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 3 to 5 cloves of garlic (according to taste)
- 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1T Madras curry (or any good quality Indian curry)
- 1t turmeric
- 1t ground coriander
- 1t ginger
- 1t garam masala
- 1t cayenne pepper or chilli powder or fresh chillies
- Oil for frying
- 1 bouquet of fresh coriander for serving
Method:
Lightly fry the onion in a little rice bran or sunflower oil, add the minced garlic and all the spices. If using fresh chilli, add at this point. Spoon in a little stock if the pot becomes too dry and the mixture sticks.
After about 5 minutes, stir in the shredded chicken, then throw in the lentils. Stir around for a few minutes for the spicy mixture to coat the chicken & lentils.
Then pour in the coconut cream, stir well and then gradually pour in the stock until the consistency of a creamy soup.
Simmer for about 20 minutes, the time that all the flavours mingle, then serve with fresh coriander.
