Yemeni Chicken Soup

Yemeni Chicken Soup

Recipe source :  Queen of Sheba  ~ Yemeni Recipes


This is the first time I am cooking a dish from Yemen. As I blog around for recipes, I noticed that the foods of many  West Asian countries use plenty of spices which are very similar to our local Malaysian Indians and Malays. However, I have come across some ingredients which I am not familiar and I have no idea where to buy them. Thus I have to give them a skip even though they look very interesting.

This Yemeni chicken soup is very spicy, which is very different from the Chinese soup I used  to boil for my family.

Ingredients

1/2 onion, chopped                  (  I used 1 whole big onion ) 
1/2 green chili                           ( I used 2 red chilli padi or bird's eye chilli ) 
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 - 4 cardamons
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt                                    ( I used 1 1/4 tsp )
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 lbs chicken with bones          ( I used 3 whole chicken drumsticks )
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp canned tomato paste    ( I used 1 fresh tomato - cut into small cubes )
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into halves length-wise
5 cups water

Left: potatoes- Right: cilantro

Middle top: tomato- Middle bottom: Onion

Clockwise from top : cardamons, turmeric powder, cumin, pepper, ground coriander, red chilli padi. 

Centre : garlic

Chicken drumsticks

Instructions

1.  Saute onion, garlic, and green chili in oil until garlic is browned and onion translucent. Add cumin, pepper, cardamom, turmeric, coriander, and salt. Then mix thoroughly.
2. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes until the outsides are slightly browned. Add tomato cubes, cilantro, water, and potatoes. Cover and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour over medium heat, adding more water if necessary. 
3. NOTE: If you prefer potatoes firm, slow-cook chicken first then add potatoes at the end and cook for about 30 minutes. ( I added the potatoes and chicken together and simmer for 25 minutes only. The meat and potatoes were already tender after 25 minutes )  
4. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Notice that the turmeric powder gave a lovely yellowish tinge to the potatoes and chicken

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest : West Asia 

hosted by  Shannon of Just As Delish