Food for thought- Chicken Broth

On saturday morning I got up late, the weather refuses to get better, in the last ten days or so we have had the sun just for a day, that also for a few hours. It isn't fair. The news around the world is not better either. After the shock of the assassination of Benizir Bhuto, violence erupted in Kenya and the post election plight of its people continues. Only a few years ago, the european union gave Kenya 300 million euros to fight corruption in the country. What a daft thing to do.

In the U.S. Barak Obama has won the primery in Iowa and snickers are having a field day. I was listening to George Galloway on Radio Talk sport.net and to the comments of some of the listeners. Some were saying he will be killed before the general elections next year, others say he will be assassinated after he is elected. If elected at all, that is. Others are of the opinion that his rivals will play the race card to stop him in his tracks.

Here in Germany the gasoline prices have risen again. Inflation is at its highest in last fifteen years. In U.K. the gas and electricity prices have gone up. Instead of bright sunshine, the continent is submerged in high inflation, rising prices, fear of recession. So I am listening to Hawaian singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and sipping Hennessy cogñac to assure me that all is not gloom and doom. Two paintings top right are oil on canvas, painting is my other hobby.

So saturday morning I reluctantly got up and helped my wife, who was cleaning the house. This Christmas we have had two christmas trees, me and my wife went to buy one and when we came home, our son had also brought another tree and had already decorated it. We are keeping the one we bought, as it has roots and will keep for the next christmas. So I cleaned the kitchen, washed the dishes, took out the garbage and went and deposited the empty bottles in the muncipal containers. Then I went for a walk in the park behind our house. Usually I give four rounds, each lasting ten minutes. But I had finished two rounds and was starting the third when it started to rain, so I quit and went and played the Lotto (4m jackpot). I could do with some ready cash.

For two days now we have had light food. On last friday I made chicken soup, chicken broth really, which we had for two days. This broth is good for cold days and is easy to make. And you can have it for two days (for four persons).

2 1/2 litres water in a deep pot

One leg of chicken(trimmed of fat)

One bone or one rib of beef

One whole tomatoe

One large onion or three small ones(whole or chopped fine)

2 bay leaves

2 cubes (1 chicken 1 beef)

1 green chilli

1 teaspoon full mixture of cardamans, cloves & cinaman stick

1 teaspoon each grinded corriandar and cumin seeds.

4 teeth peeled & chopped garlic

fresh ginger (about 2 centimeters length).

fresh leek(chopped)

Put all the ingredients in the pot, simmer on low fire, scoop off the foam which rises from the beef. Peel of the tomatoe skin and mash it. Take out the leg of chicken when soft and cut into small pieces. Let the broth simmer for 15 minutes, take out the bone or rib and cut the meat in small pieces and together with chicken pieces, put back in the pot.

Any vegetables can be added to the broth. Carrots, celery, cabbage (thinly chopped), bean sprouts, young corn, pork balls, chinese rice noodles, boiled chickpeas. The choice is yours.