Welcome to another edition of Paris Cooks!
This is where I chronicle my kitchen experiments for want of something better to write about. Haha… Actually no. Its more of an online recipe book for me so I know what works and what doesn’t. Also, its to tell you that yes, on top of being pretty flakey and having meltdowns and ranting at the world in general, I’m a pretty domesticated animal as well. 
Today’s dish is Herbal chicken soup with rice vermicelli (mee suah as the Hokkiens say or meen seen as the Cantonese say it).
This one’s easy. I use a slow cooker.
In the mornings before I leave for work, I pop into the slow cooker about 1/4 of a chicken and some herbs from the Chinese medical shop. I like to use yok chok (I don’t know the English name, sorry!) for sweetness, some ginseng roots to cool the body, lots of red dates and wolfberries (kei chi) again for sweetness. Kei Chi is supposed to be good for the eyes too and since my Lasik, you can be sure I eat a lot of it.
I then add about 4-5 rice bowls of water, turn it on low and leave it to boil and simmer.
In the evenings when I get home, there’s a pot of steaming hot, tasty soup waiting for me! Great on cold rainy evenings or when you want something light for dinner. To make it more substantial, I blanch some rice vermicelli and add it in to the soup.
Ta-da!
I personally prefer using pork ribs to chicken for soup. I find it tastier and the soup clearer. I also prefer boiling the soup over a stove as again, its tastier, but I have to work, so beggers can’t be choosers. I also don’t add salt to my soups because I find the soup sweet and tasty enough by itself. If its too bland, its likely there was too much water.
And that brings us to the end of yet another edition of Paris Cooks! Stay tuned for upcoming reports.
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15 comments ↓
This is a guaranteed shit sandwich recipe for me if I cook it for Top Monkey. Hehe. I know for sure he can’t stand the taste of ginseng.
But I’ll try it for meself one day.. keep those recipes coming! Very useful for clueless person like me.
Cheesey: You know what? I immediately thought of you and the shit sandwich even as I was writing this up! Didn’t think Top Monkey would go for this lol!
I used to do that once upon a time, when I brought a new slow cooker all the way from Malaysia to Italy, but then , the new toilet syndrome wore off after a bit.. LOL!! Maybe I should have a Slo-Cooker Revival one of these days, seeing how lazy I am to cook up a storm in the evenings after a tiring day at work.. Good suggestion, yet again! Thank you.
wuah! that looks really good! i so miss those soupy dishes! *drool*
That’s a sure way to beat the blues. And about kei-chi - you betcha it’s good for the eyes, I’ve been taking it since I was a little girl and now I don’t have to do Lasik even!
LB: Slow cookers are great for when you are lazy. But I haven’t figured out how to cook anything else OTHER than soups in it!
Wuching: It was good!
Giddy Tiger: Lucky you! I had loads of kei chi as a kid. Still ended up with bad eyesight and having to spend money on Lasik! lol
Mmmm that’s my favourite, actually. Will be lugging the slow cooker with me to Australia, that’s for sure :p Definitely good for lazy days, or after a tiring day at work. Good one
Tine: Really? Lots of people don’t like herbal soups. I on the other hand, am always on the lookout for new ones to try… except those horribly bitter ones
Definitely bring a slow cooker!
Time for the birth of pariscooks.com!!!
hmmmm, I wonder if I can get meen seen here? the herbal chicken soup looks darn good! that’s it, I gotta go Chinatown this weekend and stock up!
I use my slo-cooker to cook dhall.
Kei chee good for eyes-eh? I also better take some. Haven’t put much thought into my eyes since my lasik…
Those are yummy. My wife does not make this enough.
pablo: Hmm not yet la… Unfortunately I’m not as dedicated to kitchen experiments as you are!
May: I’m sure you could. Chinatown usually has EVERYTHING!
Kat: Yep kei-chee is supposed to be good for the eyes. Thats what the people at the lasik centre told me too hehe…
SA: Wow! Usually westerners aren’t so keen on the smells and tastes of chinese herbs. Props to you! And its time for you to get your wife to cook up a batch this weekend.
ooohh….. sluurrppp!!! it will be on this week’s menu. thanks for the great idea!
I am not your average kwai loh.