This story has been edited for length and clarity.
My mom has told me countless stories of her childhood.
Sadly, many of them were about hard times in her youth, growing up in Mexico.
There were times when there was only enough money to buy tortillas and make chile de molcajete with a pinch of salt.
Her family would grab a tortilla, add some chile de molcajete, and that was their meal.
shop jewelry
While she remembers those moments being difficult, those same experiences have also taught her how to be creative in the kitchen and to learn how to make the most delicious meals from anything we had in the pantry. She is like a gardener with a green thumb, that can make anything grow—except she creates recipes in the kitchen.
Whatever she touches has SAZÓN!
Given the current circumstances of COVID-19, it is no longer hard to imagine my mother’s stories. I’ve gone to the store and, like many others, I have not been able to find basic food items like beans, rice, and chicken.
In this great time of need, I am afraid that people are buying more than what they need. Which is why, I recently decided to take inventory of everything in my cabinets to make sure I don’t buy anything unnecessarily.
shop food & snacks
I noticed there were a few boxes of fideo I had been hoarding without even noticing and I am realizing that I can survive with less than what I usually buy.
So to challenge myself over the next few days of self-quarantine (possibly weeks), I am going to pull out all of my Mexican culinary items and make the timeless recipe of sopita de coditos.
This soup is the perfect recipe as we learn to cope with the new normal.
Not only is it super easy to make, but it is inexpensive.
Perhaps, in these times, comfort food is more important than ever. The flavors are like virtual hugs from our antepasados (ancestors), abuelas (grandmothers), and moms letting us know que todo va estar bien (everything is going to be alright).
shop glassware
Sopa de Coditos con Pollo
Prep & Cook Time: 30-40 min
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of chicken
- 2 cups of macaroni
- 1 ½ tomatoes
- ⅓ of an onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup of cilantro
Preparation
Cook chicken in a pot with enough water to cover chicken.
Add ½ an onion, 2 garlic cloves and salt to liking.
Cook chicken for 15 minutes before adding pasta.
In a pan with lard or oil, brown the pasta slightly.
Add the sliced onion and brown for one minute.
Add the sliced tomatoes and cook until the tomato is soft.
Add the pasta, onion and tomato to the pot with the chicken.
Mix well, cover and cook until pasta is soft.
When the pasta begins to soften, add cilantro.
Taste for salt.
-
Add sour cream if you desire.
other posts you may love...
About the Author
Silvia Salas-Sanchez
Founder, creator, and co-host of Abuela’s Kitchen, a YouTube Cooking channel that has taken the internet by storm. Silvia records her 80 year-old abuela from Purepero, Michoachan, making fresh flour tortillas and other homemade Mexican cuisine. Almost 6 years later, they have published 600 recipes, have 170,000 subscribers, and over 1 million views on their channel.
Book a Free Travel Consultation
Mexico in My Pocket has just launched a new consultation service for anyone looking for some help planning their next Mexico vacation. Our goal is to create a custom itinerary that will give you incredible memories!
schedule your call today!
Leave a comment