Key Tips for Preparing a Variety of Delicious Soups

According to SaedNews Cooking Service:

How to Prepare Bone Broth for Various Soups

Wash one beef bone thoroughly and place it in a large pot with five times its volume of water, along with:

• Two fried onions

• One peeled carrot

• One garlic clove

• Two cardamom pods (pierced in several places with a toothpick)

Place over high heat until it comes to a boil.

Remove any foam from the surface. After boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until the bone is cooked and the liquid is reduced by half. Add salt toward the end of cooking.

Cooking time:

• Regular pot: 7–8 hours

• Pressure cooker: 3 to 3.5 hours

After cooking, strain the bones to separate the liquid. Refrigerate the broth. Once cooled, remove and discard the fat layer on top. Pour the gelatinous, fat-free portion into small containers and freeze.

Each cup of this broth equals one liter of simple meat stock. For soups that require stock, mix 1 cup of bone broth with 3 cups of water instead of 1 liter of meat stock.

Storage time in freezer: up to 2 months.

Chicken Foot Stock

Clean 1 kilogram of chicken feet, wash them, and remove the skin. For easier processing, you may briefly boil them and then peel the skin off more easily. Alternatively, you can use already cleaned chicken feet.

Place them in a large pot and add enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat.

In another large pot, fill it two-thirds with water and add:

• Two chopped onions

• Two garlic cloves

• One peeled carrot

• One celery stalk

• Three cardamom pods

• Some salt

Bring this pot to a boil.

After the chicken feet have boiled for 15 minutes in the first pot, drain them and immediately transfer them into the second boiling pot with the vegetables. Reduce heat, cover, and let it simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.

Cooking time:

• Regular pot: 2.5 to 3 hours

• Pressure cooker: 1 to 1.5 hours

After cooking, strain and separate the liquid. Once cooled, remove the fat layer. Pour the clear gelatinous stock into containers and freeze.

Storage time in freezer: up to 2 months.

Each 2 cups of chicken foot stock equals 4 cups of chicken broth. For recipes requiring 1 liter of chicken stock, you can use 2 cups of chicken foot stock mixed with 2 cups of water.

Chicken Stock

If you are cooking chicken thighs or breast for another dish, it is better to cook them with less water so the liquid is absorbed into the meat, otherwise the chicken will lack flavor and the resulting stock will not be good.

For making proper chicken stock, it is better to use wings, back bones, and carcass pieces.

Wash the chicken pieces and place them in a pot with:

• One chopped onion

• One celery stalk

• One small carrot

• Some salt

Add enough water and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove foam from the surface, then cover and simmer on low heat. Finally, strain and use the liquid in soups.

Meat Stock

Meat stock is prepared similarly to chicken stock, with the difference that salt is added toward the end of cooking.

In general:

• White and cream-based soups are best made with chicken stock or chicken foot stock.

• Vegetable soups such as cabbage soup, barley soup, and various stews can be prepared with meat stock or bone broth.

Clarifying Chicken or Meat Stock

After straining the stock, bring it to a boil again over high heat. Then mix:

• 1 egg white

• ½ cup ice-cold water

• Crushed eggshell

Add this mixture to the stock and boil for about 10 minutes. The egg white will form foam and collect impurities at the top. Then strain again.

Types of Soup

Soups are generally divided into three categories:

Clear Soups

Thin soups made from completely clarified chicken or meat stock. They may include chopped vegetables, sometimes meat or chicken pieces, and starches such as potatoes, beans, pasta, etc. A clear soup can be an elegant and flavorful starter for formal meals.

Thick Soups

Unlike clear soups, these are not transparent or glossy. They are thickened using flour, vegetable purées, or legumes and usually have a creamy, opaque texture.

Regional Soups

These soups use local ingredients. There is no strict recipe, and each region may have its own traditional soup based on local vegetables and ingredients.

Tips for Preparing Soups

• Chop all ingredients evenly so they cook uniformly.

• Use fresh vegetables; frozen vegetables are not recommended.

• When using tomato paste, sauté it in oil for 1–2 minutes before adding.

• When using milk, first heat it gently with cold water over low heat before adding to the soup.

• When using yogurt, mix it with flour or gradually add hot soup to prevent curdling.

• When using cream, mix it with a few tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar first, chill it, then slowly add hot soup to prevent separation.

• For barley soups, soak barley overnight and cook it with plenty of water and a bit of oil until it releases its starch.

• Add salt, lemon juice, and pepper carefully and in small amounts so they do not overpower the soup.

• It is better to let each person adjust seasoning at the table.

Thickening Soups

Flour is commonly used, but in its absence, starch can be used as a substitute, though in smaller quantities.

Categories of Soups Summary

• Clear soups

• Thick soups

• Regional soups