Fenugreek Soup
Booster: fenugreek, Fenugreek is a galactagogue herb used to help increase breastmilk supply in some nursing mothers across the globe. But this soothing soup isn’t just for new mamas. Fenugreek, or methi as it’s known in India, is one of the oldest medicinal plants and has been used to treat everything from fevers, memory loss, edema, ulcers, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and other digestive issues. Fenugreek does however may cause babies to feel gassy and decrease milk supply for some mothers. Drink with discretion.
Ingredients
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup fresh green peas
2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
7 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons ghee
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ lemon, juiced
salt to taste
Instructions
Heat the ghee in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and fry until golden brown. Then add ginger and fry for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in Fenugreek seed, coating the seeds with the ghee mixture.
- Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Add the chicken, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and poach until the chicken is firm and just cooked through, ~ 3-5 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Bring the broth back to a simmer and add the turmeric and carrots, cooking until they’re just tender, about 7 minutes.
- Add the peas and chicken and simmer until everything is heated through. Add the parsley and dill. ( may omit peas if you dont prefer them)
- Season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, top with a squeeze of lemon and enjoy warm.
Notes
- Be sure to SIMMER the soup, not boil. You want to bring your soup up to a simmer, not a rapid boil. The slow simmering will help the chicken soup stay clear and really develop a flavorful broth as the chicken cooks.
- As the soup simmers, use a spoon or a strainer spoon to scoop out scum as the soup comes to a simmer. Scum is the name given to the cloudy material that floats to the top of the broth as the soup simmer. Removing it will help your broth be much more clear.
