At first look, one may assume Malaysian ABC soup has alphabet letters in it. So why’s it referred to as ABC? There are numerous explanations, together with one endearing dad joke about how the soup’s title may consult with the “anions, botatoes, and carrots.” However I believe the most definitely rationalization is that the ABC right here is all about how straightforward it’s to make—virtually as straightforward as opening a can of soup.
This easy hen and vegetable soup is commonly the primary recipe dad and mom educate their youngsters once they transfer out as younger adults, and it’s what households make once they’re exhausted or unwell and in determined want of a hearty meal they will virtually put together with their eyes closed. Every prepare dinner has their very own spin on this comforting dish, however the recipe under is very like many variations made in Malaysian houses. One fixed is how easy the soup is, which is what I and many individuals I’ve talked to like about it. You’d need to strive actually laborious to screw it up, making it an excellent low-pressure soup for newbie cooks.
What makes this soup really easy and comforting—and a go-to meal for a lot of—is that you just don’t want a lot to make it. It requires the barest minimal of kitchen instruments: a chopping board, a knife, and a pot. There’s no deboning and no sautéing of aromatics. The important thing elements—a complete hen carcass, hen thighs, onions, potatoes, and carrots—are accessible and inexpensive. Simply place all of the elements in a pot, cowl them with water, after which simmer the entire thing for 2 hours or so.
Severe Eats / Michelle Yip
However that is no ho-hum hen soup—just a few key elements make for a soup that’s deeply flavorful and satisfying, with an ease to deliciousness ratio that is laborious to beat. In Malaysia, the soup is usually made not simply with meaty bone-in hen, but in addition with a complete uncooked hen carcass, which lends wealthy oomph to the broth. It is quite common to search out carcasses on the market at Malaysian markets, however since they’re not as straightforward to return by within the U.S., this recipe requires utilizing quite a lot of bone-in hen elements relying on what you will have accessible. You might additionally use a picked carcass from a cooked hen or add some necks and backs to the combination. Not less than two thirds of the hen elements you utilize must be meaty, whereas the remainder could be largely bones.
Together with the hen, the soup comprises onions, potatoes, and carrots, together with a complete head of garlic, which provides the soup a deep and savory taste. Tomatoes add somewhat tang and sweetness, complete white peppercorns present an earthy funk, and Chinese language celery lends a heady, herbaceous aroma that’s considerably stronger than common celery.
The most typical benchmark for what makes one thing ABC soup is that each one the elements go into the pot on the identical time and it isn’t fussed with till the very finish. There must be not more than 4 or 5 primary elements apart from the hen, and whereas I’ve opted for onions, potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes right here, you might simply make the soup with no matter you will have readily available, comparable to tofu, broccoli, or cauliflower. (I’ve made my recipe further easy through the use of equal quantities of the onions, carrots, tomatoes, and potatoes.)
Severe Eats / Michelle Yip
