Canja (Chicken Soup with Lemon & Mint)

By Howie

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 - 4 lb stewing fowl, securely trussed
• The fowl's giblets - heart, gizzard, and liver, finely chopped
• 2 quarts water
• 1 cup onions, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tb raw medium or long grain regular milled rice or imported short grain rice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 6 tb fresh mint, finely cut

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1) Place the chicken and it's giblets in a heavy 3-4 quart casserole. Pour in the water and bring to a boil over high heat, meanwhile skimming off the foam and scum as they rise to the surface. Add the onions and salt and reduce heat to low. Simmer partially covered for 2 1/2 hours, then add the rice and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken and rice are tender.

2) Remove the casserole from the heat and transfer the chicken to a plate. When the bird is cool enough to handle, remove the skin with a small knife or your fingers. Cut or pull the meat away from the bones. Discard the skin and bones and cut the meat into strips about 1/8 inch wide and 1 inch long.

3) Just before serving, return the chicken to the casserole, add the lemon juice and taste for seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook only long enough to heat the chicken through. Place a tablespoon of the cut mint in each of six individual serving bowls, ladle the soup over it and serve at once.