Broccoli Cheese and Chicken Soup

Been a while isn't it? A stressful year at work and major life changes maketh no time to update the blog, I'll tell you that. But now I have some breathing space, and here I am. 

Winters in Mumbai are a joke, especially to those of us hailing from North India. I mean we are used to situations so foggy that we can't even see the staircases, and noses threatening to fall off in the cold (and the BEST fashion and consequently an excuse to eat the richest stuff). In Mumbai, what we get is fans on at 3-speed, sweating bullets and ice cream. 😐

To at least simulate the winters, I made this soup, which is thick, not as rich as it looks, but is yet luscious and smooth. It hits 4 food groups and though it takes a bit of time, it's easy-peasy lemon squeezy. More like easy peasy Broccoli-Cheese and Chicken Soup-y.

Broccoli Cheese and Chicken Soup

You need:

• 1 head of broccoli
• 1.5-2 cups of milk
• 1 onion sliced
• Peppercorns
• 1.5 tbsp flour
• 6-7 large cloves of garlic, chopped
• A few leaves of basil (optional)
• 2 breasts or things of chicken
• Olive oil/ butter
• Shredded cheese. You can use mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar, gouda. Cheddar and gouda go especially well with this
• Salt, pepper, oregano and chilli flakes

The How:

• Set a large pan of water to boil, generously add salt.
• Roughly chop the broccoli to small florets. Chop in some of the stalk as well if it's tender
• When the water has come to a rolling boil, switch it off and chuck the broccoli in. Make sure all the florets are submerged.
• Leave it for 2-3 min, then strain it out. This is to wash it, and to kill any pesky worms/insects in the dense leaves.
• In a pan, boil the chicken, chop into more manageable pieces if you want. Make sure you salt it well.
• In a separate deep, heavy bottomed pan, add a healthy pat of butter/ olive oil
• Add the onions and garlic, then add the peppercorns. Saute on medium.
• When the onions and garlic become soft, add the flour and mix well. Saute on low for 1-1.5 min.
• Add 2 cups of warmed water. Chuck roughly chopped bail leaves if using it, else omit.
• Let it simmer till the broccoli is tender, should be about 10 min.
• Switch off and let cool a bit.
• By now the chicken should have been boiled fully. Roughly chop into pieces or shred. Set aside.
• Next, using a hand blender or a normal mixie, blend till nice and smooth. Some chunks are okay if you want.
• Meanwhile, heat the milk and keep ready. Put the soup back on low heat, and just barely heat it up. Add the chicken and stir.
• Add the milk and stir well to combine.
• Chuck in the cheese and let it melt and incorporate well. Season after this, as cheese has salt of its own.
• Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes till hot throughout and take off the heat.
• Ladle into bowls, add some more shredded cheese on top, sprinkle some pepper and there you go!

If you want you can have some bread with this, but it's quite a meal on its own. You can also eliminate the chicken and make it vegetarian, maybe chop up some mushrooms in there.

That's literally it. It'll fill you up, and give you the BEST sleep you've slept in a long time.

Till the next time!