Canja de galinha is a variation of chicken soup that is popular in Portuguese cuisine. The exact origins of the soup are unclear, but it appears to date back to the 1500s. Some historians believe the soup is similar to earlier rice-based types of soups found in India. Traditionally, canja de galinha is served as a comfort food to those who are suffering from colds or general ailments. The comforting dish is also served at weddings and other special occasions.
Have you ever said, "It's easy as a pie."? If you've ever made a pie from scratch, you know it isn't as easy as it sounds. The Portuguese saying is, "É canja!" It's as easy as making chicken soup. I think making chicken soup is much easier than making a pie from scratch (let alone one made from flour, shortening, and all the rest). It does, however, take time to do it right.
My recipe is very basic. Like anyone who likes cooking, I have my own signature touch that I put in my canja. All depends on the taste of my guests.
Ingredients:
1 entire chicken
two onions, each one pierced with one dried clove
1 carrot
rice, orzo or couscous as you like
Optional: fresh lemon drops, fresh mint leaves, cinnamon stick
I always buy an entire chicken from a butcher as I can get it packaged with the giblets. I use the entire chicken and, together with onions and the carrot, I boil the meat while still on the bones to develop a richness of flavor. After the chicken is cooked thoroughly, I remove the meat from the saucepan and add rice (to save time, the rice may be cooked in advance and then re-heated with the remaining ingredients). Sometimes, instead of rice I add rice-shaped pasta such as orzo.
After the skin and bones are removed from the chicken, I get the meat shredded and add it back to the pot. All of the canja de galinha ingredients are simmered together for a few minutes. I add the chicken's eggs and it cooks for 5 minutes more. Then, I take out the gizzard, heart, and liver, and mince them with a knife. If I'm sure my guests like those minced, I put some in each soup plate along with one of the eggs. A few drops of fresh lemon juice added to the soup makes it good and so do fresh mint leaves.
I hope the video clip, though in Portuguese language, complements my rough explanation on the recipe.
SOUNDS DELICIOUS;)
ReplyDeleteWonderful Belita .x
ReplyDeletesounds delish, will try it for sure. Thank you
ReplyDeleteThe eggs were cooked in the shells in the soup? I've never done any whole chicken boiling, looks good.
ReplyDeleteHere, in Portugal, when we buy a whole chicken from a butchery, we can get the chicken' immature development ova which we boil for 5 minutes in the soup before this is ready to be served.
ReplyDeleteooooooooooooh noooooooooooo, this is now where I step off...........uh eh eh, no thank you .
ReplyDeleteHere is a song that might fit the dish...
ReplyDeleteIf Joanne and I ever come over to visit, we'll have to try some :-))
ReplyDeleteFantastic and I was wrong about it being an Oriental soup.
ReplyDeleteI would love to try your chicken soup one day.
ReplyDeleteAnd I like to add few more drops of fresh lemon juice. :)
That looks disgusting I'm sorry to say Belita. I will be giving this one a miss.
ReplyDeletemmmmmmmmmmmmmm looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteit must be jummy as well...
ReplyDelete