Hot and Sour Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
5 gm carrot
5 gm cabbage
5 gm black mushrooms
5 gm button mushrooms
5 gm bamboo shoots
5 gm bean sprouts
5 gm fresh beans
10 gm boiled chicken
1 tsp soya sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp corn flour
1 egg whisked
1 Tbsp coriander
1 tsp chili oil
2 cups stock
2 tsp vinegar
Salt to taste

Method:
Cut all vegetables and chicken in julienne style.
Take a wok and add the stock 
add all vegetables along with chicken and cook.
Later add pepper, soy, salt, coriander, chili oil and vinegar.
Add corn flour for thickness and lastly the egg.
Serve

Tom Yum Soup

Ingredients:
2 1/2 Chicken stock
Prawn stock or vegetable stock (optional)
2 tbsp thinly sliced lemon grass
1 tbsp galangal/Thai ginger
4-5 pieces medium sized fresh prawns
Broccoli and baby corn (optional)
3- 4 pieces of mushrooms
5-6 Thai whole chillies/bird eye
8-10 kafir lime leaves
1 tbsp lime juice
fish sauce - to taste


Method: 
Take a deep pan, add the stock, lemon grass and galangal and bring it to a boil.

Then add the fresh prawns and mushrooms. 
Reduce the flame and stir gently.

As the prawns start turning pink, add the Thai chillies and kafir lime leaves. 
Stir again and add the lime juice and fish sauce, which gives a salty flavour.

Boil for 30 seconds and serve hot.

Courtesy: Chef Niru Gupta

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:
3-4 tsp oil
1 cup spring onions, turnips, carrots and beans - finely chopped
4-5 garlic pods - chopped
1/2 cup celery stems - chopped
12 tomatoes - pureed
1 cup of water
1 chicken - seasoning cube
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
salt - to taste
pepper - to taste
1/2 tsp sugar
a handful of pasta
celery leaves

Method:
Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and saute the onions and garlic. 
Add the turnips, carrots and beans.
Saute again.

Chop the celery stems and mix well.

Mix in the tomato puree, salt, chilli powder, pepper and sugar.
Now add the water and seasoning cube, pressure cook for 10 minutes.

When done, break and add the pasta, cook until thick and aromatic.

Garnish with celery leaves and serve.



Courtesy: Suparna Trikha

Wanton Soup

Ingredients:

18 - 24 wanton wrappers

Filling:

1/2 pound boneless lean pork, chopped finely (or chicken/lamb)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

a few drops sesame oil

1 teaspoon sherry

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 green onion, finely minced

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 dashes of white pepper

Other:

Water for boiling wantons

4 1/2 - 5 cups chicken stock

green onion, thinly sliced, as desired

a few drops sesame oil (optional)

Method:

Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl, mixing well.

Lay one wanton skin in front of you.

Cover the remaining wanton skins with a damp towel to keep them from drying out.

Filling the wantons:

Moisten all the edges of the wanton wrapper with water.

Place a heaping teaspoon of wanton filling in the center.

Fold the wanton wrapper in half lengthwise, making sure the ends meet.

Press down firmly on the ends to seal.

Use thumbs to push down on the edges of the filling to center it.

Keeping thumbs in place, fold over the wanton wrapper one more time.

Push the corners up and hold in place between your thumb and index finger.

Wet the corners with your fingers.

Bring the two ends together so that they overlap.

Press to seal.

The finished product should resemble a nurse's cap.

Repeat with remaining wantons.

Alternate method:

Place the teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper and twist to seal.

The final result should resemble a money bag or drawstring purse.

Boiling the wantons:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add the wantons, making sure there is enough room for them to move about freely.

Let the wantons boil for 5 - 8 minutes, until they rise to the top and the filling is cooked through.

Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon.

To make the soup:

bring the chicken stock to a boil.

Add the wantons and bring the soup back to a boil.

Add the green onion, remove the pot from the heat and add the sesame oil, stirring.

Ladle into soup bowls, allowing 6 wantons per person.

Serve.

Courtesy: Chef Rhonda Parkinson

Sweet Corn Soup

Ingredients:
2 tbsp sweet corn
1 tbsp sugar
50 gm chicken
1 egg
1 tsp corn flour
2 cups stock
salt - to taste


Method:
Put the stock in a wok and add sweet corn and chicken and boil for a while.


Add sugar and salt and later add corn flour for thickness.


Take out and keep aside. Now add the egg and cook for a while.
Serve Hot.




Courtesy: Chef Nikhil