Comfort in a bowl: The healing power of soup

Key facts

• Soup is described as a comforting and healing food, especially for those who are unwell.
• The author prepared a Vietnamese-inspired chicken noodle soup (pho) for their sick sister.
• The recipe involves chicken stock, aromatics like ginger and garlic, spices such as star anise, and additions like rice noodles and vegetables.
• The soup's steam, aroma, texture, and flavor are noted for their soothing and nourishing qualities.
• The author emphasizes the undemanding nature of making soup, requiring basic ingredients and time.

The article reflects on the comforting and therapeutic qualities of soup, particularly chicken soup, as a remedy for illness. The author recounts a personal experience where their sister, arriving with a severe cough after a flight, craved chicken soup. The author then details the process of making a Vietnamese-inspired pho, emphasizing the gentle textures, nourishing ingredients, and soothing aromas that contribute to its healing properties.

The recipe provided is for an 'All-Purpose Curative Pho' serving 4-6 people. It calls for 2 quarts of chicken stock, garlic, ginger, star anise, black cardamom, cloves, coriander seed, and peppercorns, simmered to create a flavorful broth. Two chicken breasts are poached in the stock, then removed, diced, and set aside. The broth is strained, seasoned with fish sauce and soy sauce. Rice stick noodles are prepared separately by soaking in boiling water. Vegetables like onion, carrots, and cabbage are sautéed and added to the broth. The diced chicken is returned to the soup. The final dish is assembled in bowls with noodles, raw snow peas, the hot soup, and garnished with herbs like spearmint, cilantro, chives, or parsley, with optional hot sauce and lemon wedges.

The author highlights that soup's liquid form requires minimal effort to consume, making it ideal for those with sore throats or low appetite. The process of making soup is described as undemanding, relying on common aromatics and spices that also possess digestive benefits, such as star anise and ginger.