Soup the Healer│ Soup recipes │Homemade chicken soup recipe

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History

In early middle age of 13th century, soup played a vital role in society. In scarce or shortage of food, available vegetable and meat or any edible ingredients brought in to boil and served to poor from rich.


Today's modern dish, what we call soup is Originated in the early eighteenth century as a first course of meal. The basic etymology idea of “soup” came from many origins and diverse roots. In general meaning of soup is that of soaking. The German word (sup-), pronounced sup in English, is derived from Latin verb suppare soak’.


Historians also said that the word soup derived from noun suppa, which is a root of old French word “soupe”.

The black soup of Sparta

It has been found in medieval diet also. There are many folk tales about Spartan's “black soup”. The original recipe is gone many years before modern age arrived. But it is a well known fact that they used to be disgusting and of course not very pleasant in taste as the main ingredient is identified as pig blood.

Culture

Soup is a common food whether it is Europe middle east or far east like Japan. It is served in combination with a variety of vegetable, meat and carbs like noodles. The liquid is basically water or broth.


The first luxury restaurant opened in France in 1786. It was the pioneer restaurant of gastronomic cooking style. They have divided the soup into two categories. Consommes or bouillons which is clear in nature and thick soup is served as purees, veloutes and bisques.


In time soup has become identification of culture in region and even country.


In 1897, a chemist Dr. John T. Dorrence invented Campbells Condensed Soup. Which we called today's “canned soup” or ready to eat soup. The volume can be increased by adding liquid like water or milk.

Eat or Drink soup?

As per etiquette we eat soup rather than drinking it, as it always has been a part of the meal course. Apart from that we use many vegetables and meat in it and than reduce the liquid to make it edible with a spoon. So as with most cultures we do not sip it.

What culinary expert says about soup - quotes

Soup has always a special place in many cultural diets. Most chefs in history have given soup a unique values in their kitchen.


“Soup is the song of the heart and the home.” - Louis Pullig De Gouey


“Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day, and awakens and refine the appetite” - Auguste Escoffier 

“A home is a place where a pot of fresh soup simmers gently on the hob, filling the kitchen with soft aromas and filling your heart, and later your tummy, with joy” - Keith Floyed 

“If any one element of French cooking can be called important, basic and essential, that element is soup” - Louis Diat 

“No dish changes quite so much for season to season as soup. Summers’s soup come chilled, in pastel colors strewn with herbs.If hot they are sheer in substantial broth afloat with seafood. In winter they turn steaming and thick to serve with slabs of rustic, crusty bread. - Florence Fabricant

Evolution of soup

It has started its journey as a simple hunger solving liquid with veg or meat. At times it has become famous in luxury restaurants. In today's date it has become more available at every grocery shop in dry forms.


This form of soup is called “Veal glew” or pocket soup. Generally it's made of dehydrated food and meat extract. In this you have to add warm water and wait for a few minutes or so.

Cold Soup and its benefits

As opposed to hot soup, there are cold fresh soup you can add in your meal course, most commonly it's called summer soup or cold soup.

Generally fresh uncooked ingredients are grinned and served as a soup. The most famous in this category is Gazpacho - originated in Spain.

Hot soup benefits - in winter 

From the 13th century soups have been ideal comfort food for common ailments like cough and cold, moreover it helps to hydrate the body at times. Chicken soup are popular in the cold and flue whereas broth soup helps in stomach upset.

Chicken has a compound called carnosine, which helps to clear the congestion feelings at your nose. It also minimizes the inflammation on the upper chest.


Chicken bones and joints are added in the soup, the gelatine and chondroitin released in the soup can help to rebuild connective tissues.


It provides all nutrition easily to your body when you are fighting with cold and flu.

Facts about Soup

The earliest soup made with hippopotamus dates back 6000 BC found by archaeologists with evidence.

Americans eat more than ten billion soup a year.

“No soup for you” is a catch phrase used when someone's demand is not fulfilled from a TV show “Sinfield” dated 1995.

Benefits having soup before meal

The meaning of appetizer is " that stimulates one's appetite" . As per many people in the world soup is an excellent appetizer, which can create and build appetite if having before meals. Especially in cold places, a warm hearty bowl of soup can prepare your gut for the next course. As we can see in a classic French Menu of 13 or 17 course of meal, Soup comes generally at first or second course. Drinking a glass of water 30 mins before a meal is mentioned in Indian traditional medicine stream call Ayurveda.

Home made Chicken soup recipes from scratch 

Ingredients

1. Boneless chicken 1 cup

2. Water to boil - 3 to 4 cup

3. Cornflower 4 tbs

4. one egg white

5. salt and pepper


Method 

Bring water into boil let it boil for 10 min

Cut chicken pics into small cubes and add into the boiling water

Let it boil for another 5 min

Remove impurities from the surface of the water

Let it boil for another 10-15 min

In a small cup mix the cornflower with tbs cold water and add in to the boiling water

Let it boil and wait until desired consistency arrived

Add salt and black pepper

Separate egg white and slowly pour into the liquid

Wait for 10 sec and do not shake the liquid with your ladle

Serve hot with garlic bread

Bottom line

Soup is an ultimate staple or appetizer for you, whether you live in a cold or hot climate. You can always change and experiment with your desired vegetables or meat. Adding soup to your daily diet will give your health an ultimate boost. Here I have suggested a very simple yet healthy and tasty recipe with you. We used to call it mom's chicken soup as it brings back my childhood memories….

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Reference 

- An A-Z of food and drink John Ayto (Oxfod university press 2002)
- http://www.wiseoldsayings.com/soup-quotes
- Early french cookery, D. Eleanor Scully and Terence Scully (University of Michigan Press:Ann Arbor)1995
- https://www.crowncork.com/news/all-about-cans/10-fun-facts-honor-national-soup-month
- www.nutrijo.co.uk
- Leonidas of Sparta Trilogy by Helena P. Schrader
-http://www.wiseoldsayings.com/soup-quotes/