Chicken Chikhirtma - Soup Recipe

Chikhirtma is a popular chicken soup from the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is always thickened with egg yolks for richness and usually given a tart flavor with lemon or vinegar. The degree of tartness and richness can be varied in this recipe to suit individual preferences. This will serve six.

Ingredients:
6 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 T. butter or margarine
1 T. flour
1 pinch saffron, dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water (optional)
Salt to taste
3 egg yolks
3 T. lemon juice
2 T. chopped fresh parsley

V.S.P. Heat stock while frying onion in butter until golden.sprinkle flour over onion and stir while cooking for one minute. Add a little broth into mixture. Blend well and pour mixture into pot containing broth. Cook 10 minutes. If using saffron, dissolve it in hot water and strain the liquid into broth. Salt to taste and remove from heat.

Beat egg yolks with lemon juice. Mix a little broth into the eggs, then pour the mixture into the broth while stirring. Reheat the broth until it thickens, stirring constantly and not allowing it to come to a boil. Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.