Vetrillai Kozhi Soup / Betel Leaves Chicken Soup / Soup Series

Though the most enjoyable season is Winter, the worst part of it is, getting sick due to cold breeze and fog. So, the best home remedy is to enjoy a healthy and spicy soup to get rid of cold and flu. Betel leaves and pepper in the early morning and chicken soup for dinner are my personal best home remedies when I get cold. And for today's soup series, I tried an interesting healthy soup using betel and chicken which tasted really delicious. The spiciness from betel leaves was so strong and refreshing. Adjust the quantity of betel leaves and red chilli powder according to one's taste bud.

For the happening Soup Series Event, myself and my co- blogger Sujitha from sujithaeasycooking.com have posted few interesting and healthy soup recipes. Click the below link to enjoy a delicious home made soups.

My Soup Series - Click HERE

Sujitha Ruban's blog Soup series - Click HERE

Ingredients :

100 gms Chicken ( preferbly Boned pieces ) 

3 Betel leaves,  medium size, finely chopped ( adjust the quantity according to taste bud ) 

1 Onion, Finely chopped 

1 Tomato, chopped 

4 Garlic pods, chopped 

1/2 Tbsp Ginger, finely chopped 

1 Bay leaf

1/2 Tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 Tsp Coriander powder 

1/4 Tsp Red chilli powder 

Salt to taste 

Method :

Wash the boned chicken pieces and keep aside.

Take a pressure cooker and add the washed boned chicken pieces along with chopped betel leaves followed by onion, tomato, garlic pods, ginger, bay leaf, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt.

Add 1 1/2 cups of water and pressure cook it for 5 - 6 whistles.

Once done, switch off the flame and wait till the pressure gets released.

Remove the chicken pieces and bay leaf from the soup.

Mash the remaining ingredients and strain it using strainer.

Boil it again for a minute and adjust salt if necessary.

Garnish with chopped betel leaves and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with croutons or crispy corns. 

Note :

This is a spicy soup so adjust the quantity of red chilli powder and betel leaves according to taste bud.

Pepper powder is not required in this recipe, as the soup gets its spiciness from red chilli powder and betel leaves. 

Betel Leaves Kuzhambu / Vetrilai Kuzhambu

Betel leaves / Vetrilai Kuzhambu is a tangy kuzhambu in which betel leaves are used to make it more healthy. Apart from these leaves, I have added pepper and Jeera powder too, which is good for digestion. When fresh pepper corns and jeera are used, just dry roast and grind it along with the onions. This is an excellent home remedy kuzhambu for cold and digestion. This is also an easy way to include betel in our kids meal to get rid of cold. This kuzhambu goes perfect with hot rice and stove roasted papad ( sutta appalam ) and parupu thogayal.

Ingredients :

8 - 10 Betel leaves, chopped into small strips 
2 Onions, medium sized, chopped
10 Garlic pods, peeled 
1 Tsp Chilli powder
1 Tsp Pepper powder
1 Tsp Coriander powder 
1 Tsp Jeera powder 
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
Salt to taste
Lemon sized Tamarind ( soak for 10 mints and extract juice from it )
2 Tbsp Gingelly oil ( 1 Tbsp for frying and 1 Tbsp for kuzhambu )
1 Tbsp Vadagam 
2 Springs of curry leaves

Method :

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan and add chopped onions followed by garlic pods.

Fry it for a minute and remove from the flame.

Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, pepper powder and turmeric powder to the fried onions and garlic.

Grind into fine paste by adding little water and keep aside.

Now heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a pan and add vadagam followed by curry leaves.

Add the ground paste and saute it for couple of minutes or till the oil separates from the masala.

Now add tamarind extract, required amount of water and salt.

Mix well and let it boil for 10 minutes in a medium flame.

Add vetrilai /  betel leaves strips and cook it for 5 mints.

Remove from the flame and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with hot rice.

Notes :

Vadagam is nothing but Indian seasoning which contains onion, mustard, jeera, urad dal etc, so this can substituted with Mustard seeds, methi seeds and Jeera seeds.