RECIPE: CHICKEN SOUP FOR A COLD

I haven't really been sharing much in the way of recipes so far; my wonderful 'followers' have been taking care of that nicely. Now, however, I would like to share a recipe that some of you already know about, but it is a handy thing to have during spring cold season. At the end of the recipe, I'm going to share the health-benefits-rationale provided by the cookbook, in case that's of any interest to you.

CHICKEN SOUP FOR A COLD

The Stock

1 roasting chicken, 3 1/2 - 4 lbs

4 whole cloves (this is the clove spice, NOT garlic)

3 small onions, peeled

3 carrots, peeled, trimmed, and quartered

6 cloves garlic, peeled, trimmed, and lightly smashed with the flat side of a knife

1" piece fresh ginger, peeled, sliced into coins, and lightly smashed with the flat side of a knife

10 whole peppercorns

1 t. salt *I omitted this salt

12 c. water

The Soup

1 - 2 T. minced garlic

1 - 2 T. minced fresh ginger

2 serrano chili peppers, seeded and minced *I believe the hotter this soup is, the better it works, so I also added a habanero, could probably have used a second one

4 scallions, sliced

salt and pepper to taste

1. To make the stock: Rinse the chicken inside and out and place in a large stock-pot along with the neck and gizzard.

2. Press the cloves into one of the onions; cut the other onions into quarters. Add the onions, carrots, garlic cloves, ginger slices, peppercorns, salt, and water to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce to a simmer, skim the froth, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, skimming occasionally.

3. Remove the chicken and let cool. Continue to simmer the stock until it's reduced to 2 quarts, about 1 hour longer. Cool and refrigerate until fat is congealed or overnight.

4. Remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Shred or dice the meat. Cover and refrigerate.

5. To make the soup, skim the fat off the top of the stock. Bring to a boil with the minced garlic and ginger, serrano (and habanero, if applicable) chilies, and scallions. Add the chicken meat, return to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve piping hot.

Serves 6 to 8

The Essence of the Dish

Chinese medicine recommends that you stick to liquids when you have a cold or flu to give your body a break from the challenges of heavy digestion. Liquids also re-hydrate mucous membranes to create an unfriendly environment for viruses. And possibly the best liquid you can have when you're sick is old-fashioned chicken soup, which scientifically earns its traditional reputation as a cure-all with the recent identification of cysteines, amino acids that thin mucous to help you breathe easier, as well as a compound that mimics a drug prescribed for respiratory illness, in broth made from chicken. The Chinese also hold that broth nourishes your blood and essence. This soup adds the chicken's meat to the liquid mix, because it's easily digested and boosts immunity in several ways. Protein provides the amino acids that form the building blocks of immune cells, and the meat is rich in iron -- which also feeds immune cells -- and B vitamins to help those cells divide and enable the synthesis of antibodies.

There's also a full complement of natural cold medicines. Garlic's antibacterial compound, allicin, has made the bulb a favorite in fighting off invaders since ancient times, and ginger is thought to have similar properties as well as aiding digestion in your weakened system. The serrano chilies and scallions both contribute vitamin C, and the chilies act as both a decongestant and an expectorant to help you cough and blow all the bad stuff away. and all four additions burn with intense yang heat to blast the germs out of your body! Not to worry, however: the cooling and moisturizing effect of the broth keeps you from feverishly overheating.

From The Feng Shui Cookbook, Elizabeth Miles, Carol Publishing Group, 1998.