For all cooking enthusiasts, chicken broth is a vital ingredient to have in your refrigerator. It serves as a great addition to stir-fry dishes when there is a need for more liquid and guarantees a delicious soup when used instead of plain water.
1. Essential Ingredients:
– Chicken Bones: The broth is made from bones, so having chicken meat is not necessary. Pre-filtered chicken bones can be purchased cheaply from a nearby supermarket. Alternatively, you can save the bones from your family’s boiled or roasted chicken meals.
– Cold Water: It’s important to simmer the chicken bones in cold water instead of waiting for the water to boil. This allows the essential nutrients to dissolve without being denatured.
– A Touch of Sourness: Adding 1-2 tablespoons of apple vinegar, tomatoes, or white wine to the pot along with the chicken broth helps release calcium and essential minerals from the bones into the broth.
2. Additional Ingredients:
– If there are any vegetables in your fridge that need to be used, add them to the broth. Onions, carrots, and celery can enhance the sweetness and fragrance of the broth.
3. Seasonings:
– It’s best to add salt to the dishes when using the chicken broth, rather than adding it directly to the broth while simmering the bones.
Instructions:
– Start by placing the chicken bones and vegetables (if any) into a pot and adding enough cold water to cover the bones by about 2cm. Simmer over low heat and gradually heat the water for about 1 hour, skimming off any scum.
– For optimum chicken broth, simmer on low heat for approximately 4 hours. Adjust the cooking time to suit your preferences or use a pressure cooker for a quicker option.
– Once the simmering time is up, strain the broth into a jar or container, let it cool, and refrigerate. Remove the layer of solidified fat on top. The chilled broth will have a thick, gelatinous texture, indicating that all the nutrients from the bones have been released.
– The chicken broth can be stored in the refrigerator for about 4 days. For larger batches, divide it into smaller portions and freeze them for later use.
