Decent and full of fun during the cold season

Good old chicken soup. A proven home remedy that has been created for centuries as a treatment for the common cold. The healing properties of soup have already been described in ancient times. But what’s behind it? Researchers do not yet agree on this, but they have been studying the effect of the soup for years. However, as researchers at the University of Nebraska recently discovered, chicken soup has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties due to altered white blood cell activity when eaten. However, it is still not clear whether a medicinal effect on humans can be derived from this.

In any case, warm chicken soup is good for the body and soul. It supplies the body with fluids, warms from the inside and has an expectorant effect. With an Asian twist, you get a slight spice from lots of ginger and chili. This supports the warming effect and helps in stimulating blood circulation and metabolism. In addition, the rising steam of the broth moisturizes the mucous membranes and thins the mucus in the airways.

Fresh hot peppers contain capsaicin, which makes peppers spicy. This activates blood circulation in the mucous membranes, removes nasal congestion and warms the body weakened by the cold, because the body reacts to capsaicin with increased blood circulation. In addition, the hormone of happiness endorphins is released. Ginger also warms the body from the inside. The essential oil in ginger, called gingerol, is also known as “nature’s aspirin” because it has a chemical structure similar to acetylsalicylic acid and also has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Last but not least, different types of vegetables provide the body with a lot of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Chicken meat provides high-quality protein, and pasta provides a good portion of carbohydrates – so the body is supplied optimally, and there is almost no chance of cold viruses.

Ingredients

• 600gm chicken breast fillets
• 150 grams of glass noodles
• 8 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 large carrot
• 1 red pepper
• 1 bunch green onions
• 180 grams of snow peas
• 200g shiitake mushrooms (alternative: button mushrooms)
• 250 grams of Chinese cabbage
• 1 piece of ginger the size of a thumb
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 hot red peppers
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, toasted
• 2 liters of chicken broth
• 1 stick of lemongrass
• 2 teaspoons Sambal Oelek
• 5 tablespoons sunflower oil
• salt
• paper clip
• 1 stick of lemongrass
• halved lemon

Prepare

1. Rinse the fillets in cold water, pat dry, and cut in half lengthwise. Cut into slices and mix in about three tablespoons of soy sauce.
2. Soak the glass noodles in water according to the directions.
3. Peel the carrots and cut it into slices. Clean the pepper, cut the seeds and cut into small pieces. Clean the green onions, wash and cut them into small pieces. Wash and prune snow peas. Clean the mushrooms, remove the stems and cut the caps into strips.
4. Remove the outer leaves of the Chinese cabbage, clean and cut into strips.
5. Peel the ginger, peel the garlic cloves and chop them finely. Cut the hot pepper in half and cut into small pieces.
6. Heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan and fry the ginger, chili and garlic briefly. Pour the rest of the soy sauce over the chicken broth. Add lemon and sambal and bring to a boil.
7. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan and fry the pre-marinated chicken in two batches for about a minute. Put aside.
8. Remove the lemon from the broth. Add carrots, peppers and mushroom slices and cook for five minutes.
9. Then add the Chinese cabbage, green onions and glass noodles and cook for another 2 minutes. Finally add the chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.
10. Pour into bowls and serve with half a lemon.

This article first appeared on stern.de