Veggie and Chicken Soup

In today's time when we have to juggle lives between work and home, it stands imperative that we give ourselves a break from kitchen too. But does that mean bingeing on food served by chain restaurants...I don't think so. As our mind and spirit needs relaxation, even our stomach and body needs rest, aometimes we feel like savouring on comfort food that may heal our soul, mind and body. The soup reciepe is a saviour at my kitchen, it does not need much work and it simple enough to be made. For a vegetarian alternative the chicken can be skipped. For a vegan option skip on milk and chicken. Serves three.

Goes Well with: toated garlic bread, breadsticks or in case of my family slightly burnt bread served with little butter on top.

Pointers:

• Simplest soups can at times turn into a disaster if one is not clear as to what kind/consistency they want to have. For instance, keep your mind clear about choices such as whether you want chunky pieces in your soup or you want to enjoy it completly mashed. Whatever you may like must be part of your recipe modification. At the end of the day, cooking is all about exoperimenting with food and flavours.
• Golden Rule: Never throw stock!! Even if you do not like adding extra stock into your soup, retain the stock...freeze it as ice cubes and you may add it in dals or curries for that extra flavour.

Time Taken: 15-20 mins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup boiled American Corn kernels

1/4 cup Peas

1/4 cup Carrots cut in 1" chuncks 

1/2 cup 1" cut Potato cubes

1 cup Onions

1/2 cup boneless Chicken

6 cloves of Garlic

1 Tsp Ginger paste

1/4 cup Milk

1/2 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Thyme

salt to taste 

2tsp Olive Oil

Method:

• Take a deep vessel or pressure cooker heat the Olive Oil in it. Add chicken, garlic and all veggies leaving corn and peas into it add water, salt and bring it to boil. After 3 to 4 whistles put  it off the flame.
• Open the Cooker strain the veggies and chicken from the stock. Take the veggies in a bowl and blend them, set aside. 
• If chicken is in large chuncks then shed them to smaller bitable size. 
• Heat the stock and add the blended veggie purée, corn, peas and chicken back into it. Add Ginger paste. Bring it to boil.  
• Once Boiled simmer flame of the stove and add Oregano and milk. Add more salt if required.
• Once the desired consistency is reached (dip ladle or spoon into the soup and check whether it coats the back of laddle or spoon gently) take the soup off the flame. Pour it into soup dish and garnish it with thyme.