Sam's Kitchen

Try making this authentically spiced  Asian-style chicken stock in your own kitchen. It will make a great base for any of your favourite noodle, dumpling or wonton soups.
Besides being very yummy, this stock has many nourishing and warming properties.

The amazing qualities of ginger will aid digestion and will give a boost to the immune system, something we all need in the cold winter months.
In combination with ginger, other included spices make this stock an ultimate cold and flu fighter.
I believe in using every natural remedy I can get my hands on to combat the seasonal colds and flues before turning to medication, and most of the time I never get to have to use any man-made medication.

So, my call is – let’s stay healthy this winter by nourishing our bodies and souls with natural, delicious homemade food!

Use this stock as a base for your favourite Asian soups.
A good base stock will make any soup taste fantastic. All you will have to do is to throw a few veggies in, cook some noodles, stir it all together and voila – the soup is done!

Ingredients

1kg chicken carcass or any other chicken parts ( chicken wings or necks for example )
1-2 tbsp oil ( coconut, peanut or olive oil )
2-3 star anise
2 cassia bark pieces or 1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1/2 tsp peppercorns
5-6cm fresh ginger, sliced
3-4 garlic cloves
4 spring onions, roughly chopped
1-2 celery stalks
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
3 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp grated palm sugar (coconut or brown sugar)
1 tsp salt or to taste
12 cups water

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot, add chicken carcass or other pieces you are using for your stock and brown on all sides.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients including water.
3. Place the lid on and bring to a simmer, and simmer over a low heat for 2-3 hours. Add more water if water is reducing too fast.
4. Taste for salt or sugar. Add more soy sauce if desired for a stronger flavor.
5. Turn the heat off and leave to cool before straining through a sieve.

You should end up with 2 Liters of stock.
Refrigerate or freeze till needed.

Notes

Use tamari sauce as a replacement for soy sauce, if looking for a gluten free option.

The stock will keep well in a refrigerator for 2-3 days, in a freezer for 2-3 months.
I prefer freezing my stocks in glass containers or jars as it is safer to microwave for a quick defrost.
Don’t fill the containers or jars right to the top, leave an inch of space to avoid the glass from cracking in the freezer, as liquid tends to get larger once frozen.