You may have noticed that I have started a new section in my blog "How to! with Debjani" which I know a bit confusing for the viewers. I have received few mails/ chat even with a question on the same "Why there is a need of a how to section?" and "How the recipes mentioned in "How to" section are different?" and here I am with the answer along with a new "How to" post: How to make Chicken Stock!
Few days back I was chatting with one of my School Friend Rickta who herself is a superb cook. Rickta told me that many people who followed her cooking page in Facebook (where I am also a member) are sometimes felt that "Debjanir Rannaghar" is mostly about fancy cooking and I prefer to use fancy ingredients in my cooking! She suggested me to revisit the blog and come up with something exiting and fulfilling for the viewers who may not be available with fancy products but wanted to cook elaborately. It was a real shock to me given I always prefer to use locally available ingredients in my cooking and have posted many recipes using local ingredients. In face my "Bengali Recipe" section is full of Bengali food which is prepared with easily available ingredients; but as they say "there is no feedback for a feedback". I then started exploring my own posts and found that with the pace of time I started posting recipes with more professional approach and that may be the reason few people found my recipes fancy. I obviously don't need to bother much about it but felt to post few how to's in my blog especially for the ingredients used in cooking and sometimes not available easily even in metro cities in India. I have already posted few how to's with which I have started the "How to! With Debjani" section and the process of making Chicken Stock at home is my first post after starting the section. Rickta's true advice helped me a lot to start a new section in my blog and I love her for her sweet advice. It is truly said that a friend in need is a friend indeed!
You may found Chicken Stock cubes in malls or market and liquid stock is also available to many of us but this may not be the situation for people who are not from so called big cities. Stock is actually a liquid prepared by slow boiling veggies or animal/ bird bones and used in making different soups and gravies to make those more flavourful. Coming to Chicken Stock, it is actually prepared by boiling Chicken bones, few chunks of chicken and veggies in slow flame. When you are planning for a really tasty non-veg soup, adding Stock is to it will increase the flavour hundred times.
Chicken Stock can be very easily prepared at home though will take at least 3 hours' time for slow boiling. This is however requires no stirring and hence is really hassle-free process. I was preparing chicken Stock day before yesterday since I had a plan for a soup in dinned and I have started making it in my gas stove but later moved to my induction for the boiling part that took me 2 hours. I was available with few chicken bones that I have separated before making Chicken Stew for my daughter and used in making Chicken Stock. I have added few pieces of every flavourful veggie available to me many of which can be avoided if not available.
How to make Chicken Stock at Home!
Ingredients
- Chicken Bones: 6-7 pieces I have separated bones while preparing Stew and used
- Chicken Chunks: 2-3 Pieces
- Carrot: 1
- Onion: 1
- French bean: 1-2 optional
- Potato: 1 optional
- Raw Papaya: 2 pieces optional
- Green capsicum: 1-2 pieces optional
- Garlic: 4-5 cloves
- Bay Leaf: 1
- Clove: 3-4 Optional
- Black Peppercorn: 8-10
- Cinnamon Stick: 1”
- Vinegar: 1 Tbsp.
- Salt: 1 Tbsp.
- Refrigerated Water: 8-10 Cups
Instructions
- Wash Chicken bones along with the chunks and veggies thoroughly before cooking.
- Roughly chop veggies.
- Now take all the vegies, Chicken bones and Chunks and spices except salt in a deep bottom pan. I have used my pressure cooker for this step.
- Add around 2 litre cold water from refrigerator to the Pan.
- Cook in high flame for till you see bubble coming from the stock and then start cooking in low flame for 3 hours with a lid on.
- Add little water in between to adjust the water level.
- Switch the flame off after 3 hours of cooking and remain the stock as it is with the solids for 1 more hour.
- Strain the stock from the boiled solids using a strainer.
- Transfer chicken Stock in a jar and cool it in refrigerator.
- Discard fat from the upper-side of the liquid if appeared.
- This Stock can be stored in Refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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