Garam Masala Chicken and Mushroom Soup

Yes, we posted this recipe before, but it's so good it's worth repeating AND it's like FIVE degrees outside so soup is definitely in order. And then there's the holidays...we've both been busy having fun and haven't had time to post new recipes, so you get soup! Good soup, that is.....

We have no idea what you’re going to think after reading the list of ingredients below, but we're going to beg you to try this recipe because we can almost guarantee that you have never made or tasted a soup like this one before.

Its flavor is so unique and divine that you will most certainly impress your friends with it. We love to make it for others and watch them take a small soup bite, then another, maybe one more, and then say, “Oh my – that’s good – what’s in there?”

Toot Toot!
(that’s us tooting our own horn)

Let’s start by freaking out over the amount of butter that’s going into the saucepan and get it over with. It is what it is and it will all be worth it in the end! With that said, drop all six tablespoons of butter into the pan over medium heat. As it slowly melts, add the garlic and garam masala (more on this spice down below). Then lower the heat and add the crushed peppercorns, salt, and nutmeg.

To really get things going, add the chicken, mushrooms, leeks, and corn. Cook these guys for about five to seven minutes or until chicken is cooked through – stirring constantly.

When that’s done, remove from the heat and transfer half the mixture into a food processor or blender. Add the water and process for nearly a minute.

WARNING:
This soup is going to look a little nasty right about now, but you’ve got to hang in there with us. I mean, you can see from the photo above that this soup isn't real pretty when it's all dressed up and posing for a picture, so it shouldn't be a big leap to think it would be super ugly during the prep phase. But trust us, when we say the beauty lies deep, deep below the surface within the flavor and we're almost there.....

Pour the "less than esthetic" puree back into the pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

To make the soup look prettier and taste a little bit richer, lower the heat and add one cup of light cream and stir it in. Grab a ladle, a bowl, and a big old spoon and dig in, because this soup tastes best when straight from the stove, piping hot, with a little garlic bread on the side.

Did we tell ya?

Toot Toot!

Garam Masala is an Indian spice that can be found alongside everyday spices in most of your local grocery stores. It is comprised of a variation of black pepper, cloves, cardamon, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This is a spice that definitely steals the show in anything we add it to. It’s what makes the flavor of this soup so unique. We highly recommend adding Garam Masala to your seasoning rack because it won't be the last time you see him...

One day, the leeks in the produce department looked so pitiful that we couldn't bring ourselves to pay good money for them, let alone eat them, so we used scallions instead. Totally doable...



Garam Masala Chicken and Mushroom Soup

6 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Garlic
One Teaspoon Garam Masala
One Teaspoon Crushed Black Peppercorns
One Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon freshly grated Nutmeg
8 Ounces Chicken, Skinned and Boned
One Medium Leek, sliced
Generous One Cup Sliced Mushrooms
1/3 Cup Whole Corn Kernels
1-1/4 Cups Water
One Cup Light Cream
One Teaspoon Crushed Dried Red Chilies, to garnish (optional)

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Lower the heat slightly and add the garlic and garam masala. Lower the heat even more and add the black pepper, salt, and nutmeg.
Cut the chicken pieces into very fine strips and add to the pan with the leek, mushrooms, and corn. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Transfer half of the mixture into a food processor or blender. Add the water and process for about one minute.
Pour the resulting puree back into the saucepan with the rest of the mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and stir in cream.
Serve Hot.