Curried Chicken Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup cooked wild rice
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup cream of coconut
2/3 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup butter
7 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon sambal oelek chili paste (red chili paste)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, finely ground
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup celery, diced
Toppings
coconut, toasted and sliced
almonds, toasted and sliced
lime zest
pineapple
chutney

Preparation

Begin cooking rice as instructed on the bag.
In a large saucepan, combine chicken stock, bay leaf, cream of coconut and pineapple juice.
Bring to a boil.
Thicken the broth with a roux made of the butter and flour.
To do this, in a separate pan, melt the butter with the flour until it bubbles and is foamy, then add to the broth and stir to thicken.
Keep the broth on a low simmer to continue thickening while you prepare the chicken.
Preheat a stock pot with 1/4 cup olive oil.
Add black pepper and chicken to the stock pot, cook until 3/4 done.
Add onion to the chicken and cook until transparent.
Mix together spices and add them to the chicken mixture.
Stir, saute lightly and finish with the heavy cream.
To combine the ingredients, add the stock to the chicken mixture.
Add the celery (still raw and crunchy) and the cooked wild rice.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
When serving, top with toasted coconut or other ingredients as you choose.
OR - Make this in the crock pot. To make it in the crock pot, put all ingredients except butter, flour, heavy cream and celery (and garnishes) in the crock pot. Don't cook the rice or the chicken - just dice the chicken and put it inches I used frozen stock and frozen chicken. Doesn't matter. Cook on high for about 4 hours or low for longer - as long as the rice is cooked, it's done. Then add chopped celery. Make roux and add to thicken. Add cream or milk, and you're done. Garnish as usual.