Tortilla Soup

[Joel_BC]

This is for those people, living near to or further from Mexico, who like Mexican foods.  Easy to make.  It's a soup that everyone who likes spicy food seems to enjoy - can be made more spicy or less so, by varying the hot-pepper content.

1 quart (or litre) tomatoes in juice (either diced or blended)
3 quarts (litres) water (can consist of up to 1 quart soup stock on-hand, plus water)
3 medium-sized onions, diced medium-small, sautéed, and…
optional - 2 or 3 largish stalks of celery, diced & sautéed with the onions
2 medium-sized chicken breasts or equivalent amount white & dark chicken meat
2  cups corn kernels or hominy
1/3  cup uncooked rice
2 rounded tsp chili powder or 3 tsp chopped chilli peppers (you can use more if you like real hot soup)
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 large (or 3 medium) cloves of garlic, crushed
2 level tsp curry powder (optional - because not strictly Mexican)
Dash of salt (if needed)

Put quart of tomatoes with water (or water/soup-stock) into a soup pot, and add chicken.  Cook at medium-high heat if chicken is frozen; medium heat if it is thawed.  Add diced onions, corn kernels, and rice. 

After cooking chicken for 45 minutes to an hour, then remove it and cool it enough to handle; shred or dice it.  Return the bit-size checken to the pot of liquid ingredients.

Add chili pepper (powder or bits), cumin, lime juice, crushed garlic, and curry powder (if you’re going to use it).  At this stage, avoid boiling, and stew everything for around an hour.  Top-up water level if it evaporates out very much.  Stir every so often.  Taste and add more seasonings, if desired.

You can add torn tortilla pieces 10 minutes before serving, if desired.

[dougf4]

My Tortilla Soup is a much more basic recipe than yours Joel.  I think I can try yours out in the solar cooker - it would be a great recipe for that!

The one thing I like to do is to cut a tortilla or two into narrow, 2"-3" strips and fry to a crunchy, golden brown in oil and then drop them into the soup when it is served.  (kind of like chow mein noodles)

I'm definitely going to give this one a go!

[Joel_BC]

My Tortilla Soup is a much more basic recipe than yours Joel.  I think I can try yours out in the solar cooker - it would be a great recipe for that!

The one thing I like to do is to cut a tortilla or two into narrow, 2"-3" strips and fry to a crunchy, golden brown in oil and then drop them into the soup when it is served.  (kind of like chow mein noodles)

Maybe my recipe is a bit elaborate, but I'm so used to making it - my wife likes that I've got about half a dozen recipes that I can readily contribute to our succession of dinners.  I can make this soup pretty quickly because I know the routine.  But it ain't no "heat'n'serve".

Your idea of frying the tortillas crispy is a good one.  I don't always do that, but I do prefer the taste/texture when that comes out right.  Actually... (alas) I often fail to get the texture right - I often get it too chewy (tough like leather) or not crisp enough.