The Best Cure for a Cold

 

 

 

It’s that time of the year again when Keith and Little Miss M will get the flu or a cold with the usual sore throats, cough, runny noses etc. I however, have been very lucky not to have gotten a cold in the last 4 years! I’m not sure what I’m doing right, it could be the multi-vitamins and vitamin C that I take every day, healthy eating or maybe as a mommy my body knows that I just can’t afford to get sick! Anyway the best cure when Daddy and daughter aren’t feeling well is chicken noodle soup which has actually been scientifically proven to help alleviate symptoms of a cold!


If you have the time, buy chicken bones or inexpensive thighs/drumsticks to make the chicken stock. Cover the bones with water and boil for at least 3 hours, strain, let it cool, refrigerate overnight then remove the solidified fat. One of my favorite ways to make stock is to use the bones from a rotisserie chicken which has a lovely depth of flavor because the chicken has been roasted. I almost always have a container or two of frozen chicken stock in the freezer, but today I didn’t because I had used it a couple of weeks ago for the Steamboat and had to resort to store bought stock. Use any type of vegetables you like and cut them as big or small as you like, just ensure that they are the same size. You can cook the pasta in the soup but I prefer to cook it separately because we usually can’t finish the soup in one sitting and I don’t like the pasta to soak in the soup and get mushy.

 

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Serves 4

8 cups (64 ounces) low sodium chicken stock
1 chicken breast (about ½ pound), cut into ¾” pieces
2 small carrots
2 ribs celery
1 zucchini
1 potato
A few sprigs of thyme or ½ tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup pasta, any type, cook according to package directions

 

• Clean and cut vegetables into even sized pieces
• Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot, add chicken, carrots, celery and potatoes together with the thyme or parsley if used, lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until almost tender.
• Add zucchini, cover and cook another 5 minutes. Season to taste.
• Serve with pasta.

 

 

Mak Cik's Vegetable Acar

My aunt (or Mak Cik in Malay) is well known for her Vegetable Acar (pronounced 'ut-char') which is pickled vegetables in a spicy, vinegary and sweet base. I like to eat it as a side dish when I eat plain chicken or beef ramen or sometimes just on it's own as a snack! Unlike the Korean Kimchi, this is not as pungent as it does not use garlic. Without the addition of the peanuts, the acar can actually last refridgerated for about 6 months (or about 1 week with the peanuts).

MAK CIK’S VEGETABLE ACAR
Makes about 8 – 10 20-oz jars

2 pounds (about 4-5) carrots, peeled and cut into 2”x1/8” sticks
3 pounds (about 6-7) pickling cucumbers, deseeded and cut into 2”x¼” sticks
4 pounds (1 large) cabbage, separate the leaves and cut into 2" squares

Spice Mix
5 tbsp chili powder
4 stalks lemongrass
2 big onions
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp galangal powder
1 tbsp belacan powder
2 cups white vinegar
¾ cup sugar
1 tbsp salt
½ cup oil
1 cup ground roasted peanuts, optional
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, optional

To prepare the vegetables:

• Boil a big pot of water and add in ½ cup vinegar, ¼ cup sugar and 2 tbsp salt. Lower heat to simmer and blanch vegetables for 1 minute, a few handfuls at a time. Use a salad spinner to spin dry. Set aside.

For the spice mix:

• Finely grind the lemongrass and onions with ¼ cup water. Mix in the chili, turmeric, galangal and belacan powders.
• Heat ½ cup cooking oil, fry ground ingredients for spice mix for about 1 hour until fragrant and oil rises to the top. Add in vinegar, sugar and salt.
• Cool then add in the vegetables and the ground roasted peanuts if used. Mix well.
• Keep in clean jars for at least 1 day before eating.
• Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top before serving.

Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie

Turkey to me, is the gift that keeps on giving!

The day after Thanksgiving I pulled the meat off the carcass, threw the bones, skin, fat and whatnot into a big pot, added some chopped celery, carrots, parsley stems and a big onion, covered it with water and boiled that for 4 hours to make a huge pot of delicious turkey broth.

And finally today - the fourth day after Thanksgiving - the leftover stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn, cranberry sauce and gravy have been eaten up. However, we still have lots of turkey left and that with a couple of cups of the turkey broth, some vegetables and a pastry topping makes for a great family pot pie.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY POT PIE
Serves 4

2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
½ onion, chopped
1 carrot, cubed
2 stalks celery, cubed
1 cup frozen peas
3 tbsp butter
5 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups turkey broth
1 cup milk
1 tsp thyme
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste

• Microwave, or boil the carrot and celery until crisp tender, drain.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour and then slowly stir in turkey broth. It will be lumpy at first, but continue stirring until sauce is smooth. Add in milk, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Stir in the turkey, carrots, celery, peas and simmer on medium low heat until thick. Pour into a 11”x8” dish and set aside to cool.
• When cool, top with rolled out pastry, brush on an eggwash and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
  

Pot Pie Pastry
1¾ cups all purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour)
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
½ tsp salt
¼ cup cold water

• In a large bowl, sprinkle salt on flour, add butter and rub with fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add cold water a little at a time and mix with a butter knife. Knead very gently with your fingers until a ball is formed. Cover with cling wrap and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using.