Chicken Soup

Very simple, filling, and warming--just right for a day like yesterday, the first real snowfall of the winter.

You know, soup just doesn't photograph that well. But you don't really need one, because it looks like... chicken soup.

Chicken Soup

10 chicken drumsticks, bone-in (or the equivalent in other chicken parts, whatever you have, so long as they are fairly meaty)
2 medium onions, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup brown rice
2/3 cup red lentils
3/4 tsp powdered allspice
1/2 tsp powdered cardamom
1/2 tsp powdered turmeric
salt to taste
10-12 cups water

If you have time, soak the rice in water for about 2 hours before cooking (it makes the soup creamier, but you can skip this step and it'll still turn out fine).

In the bottom of a large pot, saute the onions until translucent in the olive oil. Add the spices and cook a few minutes longer, until fragrant. Add the rice, lentils, chicken, and 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours--until the soup has become creamy, the rice and lentils are softened almost beyond recognition, and the meat is falling off the bones, adding more water if the soup gets thicker than you would like it to be. Skim off any foam that rises. After around 2 hours, remove the chicken from the pot; shred the meat off the bones and return the meat to the pot. Taste and add salt as necessary. Serve hot.

Serves about 5 as a main course.

Variation: for even creamier soup, you can use white rice.