“Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile trough my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts.”

Paramahansa Yogananda

Rounding out four episodes on broth with ginger provides the perfect example of how lovely tasting herbal tea can second as herbal broth which then infuses the food we eat with an extra layer of nourishment. Ginger is also a great example, because it is such a foundational culinary herb. There are multitudes of methods and recipes incorporating ginger both fresh and dried.. As for soup, ginger itself may be added as an ingredient, it goes especially well with chicken soup or creamy carrot soup or a garlic lemongrass broth with noodles, But it can also be layered in as the actual broth or stock base to make a sublime and aromatic soup or stew creation which is how I am using it today.

*Ginger Broth* makes 2 cups
3 cups water
3 inch piece fresh ginger root, chopped
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 bay leaf
2 kafir lime leaf
Salt to taste
No need to peel the ginger because we will be staining it out.
Combine water, ginger, garlic, peppercorns, fennel seeds lemon juice and lemon zest in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce to low and simmer 30 minutes. Strain. Reduces to 2 cups

Mushroom Soup
4 cups ginger stock
4 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
Green tops from 2 leeks, sliced thin
1 1/2 pounds mushrooms – Shitake, portobello, oyster, white button, washed and sliced
4 carrots, cut to rounds
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 bunch parsley or cilantro, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste