Warm chicken and rice soup (shorbet jej wa riz)

Place the whole chicken in a large saucepan with the bay leaves, cassia or cinnamon stick, seven spice mix, lemon and 1 tsp salt flakes. Cover completely with water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 40 minutes or until cooked through.Meanwhile, rinse the rice well, then soak in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes. Drain.Remove the chicken from the stock. Strain the stock into a clean saucepan and discard the cinnamon, lemon and bay leaves. Add the carrot, onion, celery and corn to the stock and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.Meanwhile, shred the chicken into small pieces, discarding the skin and bones.Add the shredded chicken and drained rice to the stock along with the remaining 1 tsp salt. Bring to the simmer over medium heat, then simmer for 15 - 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir in the parsley, then ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of olive oil. Photography by Kitti Gould.Want more from The Cook Up?• Stream free here at .• Get the show recipes, articles and more.