Recipe No 614 soup Original 2014 Adapted 2016

Healing Asian chicken soup, sous vide

This is an adaptation of our version of Healing Asian chicken soup. Our goal was to improve the taste and texture of the chicken but, along the way, we thought perhaps we could simplify it, too. We ended up creating something a little different than we intended.

The result is a slightly different soup with some appealing qualities; gently poached vegetables and meat in a scented broth. The quality of the original ingredients will shine through, so purchase the best produce you can find.

Although we haven’t done any formal testing, it could be argued that this is likely even more healthy than our original adaptation. The lower temperature of the water bath and the closed environment retain more vitamins.*

Time

Prep:

Total:

Difficulty
easy
Yield
3–4 serves • 1800 g
Metric Imperial

Processes

  • Coconut oil (4 tsp)
    18 g
  • Turmeric, ground (1 tsp)
    2.3 g
  • Cumin, ground (½ tsp)
    1.6 g
  • Coriander seed, ground (½ tsp)
    1.2 g
  • Cinnamon stick, whole (1 regular)
    4 g
  • Star anise, whole (2 regular)
    4 g
  1. 01
    Combine in a vacuum pouch and seal sous vide. Set aside.

  • Chicken stock (1½ cup)
    375 g
  • Scallions, thinly sliced (1 bunch)
    240 g
  • Ginger, minced (2 tbsp)
    40 g
  • Garlic, minced (4 cloves)
    12 g
  • Coriander, root and stems, finely chopped (2 sprigs)
    7 g
  • Sweet potato, 5 mm / ¼" dice (1 regular)
    400 g
  • Carrots, 5 mm / ¼" dice (2 regular)
    220 g
  • Button mushrooms, quartered (6 regular)
    90 g
  1. 02
    Combine in a large bowl and mix.
  2. 03
    Transfer to vacuum pouches and seal sous vide.
  3. 04
    Add to water bath along with spiced oil pouch .
  4. 05
    Cook at 84°C / 183°F for . (For a firmer texture on the bok choy stems, pull them after .)
  5. 06
    Keep warm, between 59°C / 138°F and 74°C / 165°F, until ready for service.

  • Chicken stock (½ cup)
    125 g
  • Corn, kernels (2 cobs)
    160 g
  • Baby bok choy, stems, 5 mm / ¼" pieces (reserve leaves) (2 heads)
    120 g
  1. 07
    Vacuum seal and cook sous vide at 84°C / 183°F for .
  2. 08
    Keep warm, between 59°C / 138°F and 74°C / 165°F, until ready for service.

  • Chicken breast, whole, blanched and jaccarded (2 whole)
    300 g
  • Chicken stock (1 cup)
    250 g
  • Tamari (4 tsp)
    20 g
  • Mirin (2 tsp)
    10 g
  • Salt (1 tsp)
    5 g
  1. 09
    Combine in vacuum pouch and seal sous vide.
  2. 10
    Cook in a water bath at 59°C / 138°F for .

  • Chicken stock (1 cup)
    250 g
  1. 11
    Bring to a boil. Cover and reserve at a simmer.

  • Baby bok choy, reserved leaves (2 heads)
    74 g
  1. 12
    Divide leaves among serving plates.
  2. 13
    Strain cooked vegetables and reserve liquid in the jug of a blender.
  3. 14
    Divide vegetables between serving bowls.
  4. 15
    Strain cooked chicken and add liquid to blender.
  5. 16
    Cut chicken into 6 mm / ¼" dice or 3 mm / ⅛" slabs and divide between serving bowls.
  6. 17
    Add hot stock to blender.
  7. 18
    Add spiced oil to blender and mix at high speed for . Strain (optional).
  8. 19
    Divide liquid between serving bowls.

  • Coriander leaves
    to taste
  • Sesame seeds
    to taste
  1. 20
    Garnish.

Notes

The vegetables and spiced oil can be kept in their pouches and held in the same bath temperature as the chicken until ready for service. If you only have one water bath, cook the vegetables and oil first and then rapidly cool the water bath using cold tap water. Hold the vegetables and oil while cooking the chicken.

The bok choy stems are softer than the original version of this recipe. An alternative approach is to stir fry them just prior to service, or pull them from the water bath after .

Is there any advantage to marinading the vegetables (without stock) prior to coocking?

Does brining the chicken help? Combine the 300 g / 10.5 oz chicken with 300 g / 10.5 oz water and 6 g / 0.21 oz salt and store in the fridge for 5 days.

* Goto, M., Hashimoto, K and Yamada, K. (1995) ‘Difference of ascorbic acid content among some vegetables, texture in chicken and pork, and sensory evaluation score in some dishes between vacuum and ordinary cooking’. Nippon Shokuhin Kagaku Kogaku Kaishi, 42 (1), 50–54.

Making ahead

Cook and vegetables and infused oil . Blanch, jaccard and cook the chicken .

Categorisation

Category
soup
Meal
dinner lunch
Cuisine
chinese
Diet
omnivorous
Tags
asian healing healthy soup sous vide water bath