SAEDNEWS: Milk soup is a light, low-fat white soup made with fresh milk, rolled oats, chicken, mushrooms, and carrots. It is easy to digest and a gentle choice for children, people with sensitive stomachs, and anyone looking for a warm meal during chilly winter nights.
According to Saednews, Milk soup is a type of white, low-fat soup whose main ingredient is fresh or pasteurized cow’s milk. Because it contains rolled oats and chicken, this soup is highly filling, while unlike heavy cream-based soups, it remains light and easy to digest. The addition of mushrooms and carrots provides the body with various vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, B-group vitamins, and beta-carotene. For this reason, milk soup is often recommended as a supplementary meal for children, a suitable diet-friendly food for people with sensitive stomachs, and a comforting option on cold winter nights.
To prepare a delicious and thick milk soup, it is important to use fresh and high-quality ingredients. The required amounts are:
Fresh milk: 500 ml
Mushrooms: 250 g
Chicken breast: Half of one whole breast
Rolled oats: 100 g
Medium carrot: 1
Medium onion: 1
Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
Chopped parsley: 1 tablespoon
Salt and black pepper: As needed
Oil and turmeric: As needed
To begin making milk soup, first peel the onion and cut it into four large pieces. At this stage, the onion is only used to add aroma to the chicken broth and will be removed at the end of cooking.
Place the onion, chicken breast, 4 cups of cold water, some salt, and turmeric into a suitable pot. Put the pot over high heat until the water begins to boil. Once it reaches boiling point, remove the white foam from the surface and reduce the heat. This helps create a clear broth without an unpleasant chicken smell.
Allow the chicken to cook slowly over low heat until about 2 cups of broth remain in the pot. This usually takes around 30 to 40 minutes.
Slow cooking helps soften the chicken texture and allows the nutrients and flavors to fully transfer into the broth. After this time, turn off the heat and let the pot cool slightly.
Remove the onion and discard it. Take out the cooked chicken and strain the broth using a fine strainer or clean cloth so that the soup will have a smooth texture without bones or unwanted pieces.
Shred the cooked chicken into small pieces. The smaller the chicken pieces, the smoother the soup will look and the more appealing it will be, especially for children.
Wash and peel the carrot, then cut it into very small cubes. For a softer texture and faster cooking, you can also grate the carrot using a coarse grater.
Carrots not only add a beautiful color to milk soup but also provide a mild sweetness that blends perfectly with the flavor of oats and milk.
Choose the pot containing the strained chicken broth. Add the rolled oats and chopped carrots, then place the pot over very low heat.
A key point at this stage is that rolled oats can easily stick to the bottom of the pot. Therefore, stir the soup every few minutes with a wooden spoon or ladle.
Regular stirring prevents burning and allows the oats to release their natural starch, making the soup thicker and smoother. The oats usually need about 15 to 20 minutes to cook.
Once the oats are cooked and the soup begins to thicken, add the milk and shredded chicken.
Slowly pour the milk into the pot while stirring so that it combines well with the ingredients. Reduce the heat and avoid boiling the milk, as boiling can cause the milk to separate and lose its smooth texture.
After adding the milk, add the chicken and cook the soup for about 30 minutes over very low heat. Gentle cooking allows the flavors of the milk and chicken to blend together, creating a rich and restaurant-style taste.
While the soup is cooking, clean the mushrooms and slice them thinly.
Avoid washing mushrooms directly with water. Instead, clean their surface with a damp cloth so they do not absorb excess moisture and release too much water during cooking.
Heat a non-stick pan and add a very small amount of oil or butter. Too much oil can make the soup heavy, so only use enough to prevent sticking.
Sauté the mushrooms until their moisture evaporates and they become slightly golden. Add lemon juice while cooking to prevent the mushrooms from becoming dark. The acidity in lemon juice helps slow down the enzymes responsible for mushroom discoloration.
After sautéing the mushrooms, add them to the soup pot. At this stage, add black pepper and salt, then allow the soup to cook for another 5 to 10 minutes over low heat.
Avoid boiling milk soup too much because it becomes thicker as it cools due to the starch from the oats.
Adding salt near the end of cooking helps maintain a balanced flavor and reduces the chance of milk proteins reacting excessively to heat.
When the soup reaches your preferred thickness, remove it from the heat and pour it into serving bowls.
For decoration, sprinkle freshly chopped parsley on top. Parsley adds freshness, improves the aroma, and can help with digestion.
For a more elegant presentation, you can add a small amount of cream or half a teaspoon of melted butter and mix well to create a smooth, silky texture.
It is best to serve milk soup immediately after cooking because it becomes thicker when cooled and may lose its original quality.
For the best results, use medium-fat milk. Full-fat milk can make the soup too heavy, while fat-free milk may reduce its richness.
If you are sensitive to the taste of milk, heat it separately until slightly warm before adding it to the soup. This helps reduce the raw milk flavor.
The biggest mistake when preparing milk soup is cooking it over high heat. High temperatures can cause the soup to stick to the bottom, damage the milk proteins, and affect its appearance.
Always keep the heat low or medium and stir the soup gently.
Mushrooms do more than add flavor to this soup. When sautéed with lemon juice, they improve the appearance and provide natural umami flavor, making the soup richer and more enjoyable.
If rolled oats are unavailable, you can replace them with barley flakes or even partially cooked rice.
For a lighter diet version, use skinless chicken and reduce the amount of oil. To make the soup thicker, dissolve one tablespoon of white flour in half a cup of cold milk and add it near the end of cooking. This will increase the soup’s consistency.
