Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a deep pot. Saute the spices:
2 green chilies, 2 bay leaves, 1 star anise, 3 pods cardamom, 2 inch piece of cinnamon, 3 cloves, 1 teaspoon peppercorns
After a couple of minutes, add roughly chopped:
2 inch piece of ginger, 6 cloves garlic
Add 6 chicken thighs and saute until they turn white on the outside. Add 4 cups of water,½ teaspoon of turmeric, and 1 teaspoon salt.
Bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Shred the chicken
After 20 minutes, open the pot and check if the chicken is done. If the flesh has traces of pink (check the thickest part of the chicken), cook for 3 to 5 minutes more.
Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pot. Separate the flesh from the bones and shred them into pieces. Discard the bones.
Strain the broth and discard the spices.
Make coriander paste
In a blender jar, add roughly chopped coriander stems (about ¼ cup) and half of the leaves (about ½ cup), 10 cashews, and 2 teaspoons of lemon peel.
Blend with ¼ cup of water into a smooth paste.
Make chicken lemon coriander soup
Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in the pot. Saute 1 thinly sliced onion until they are translucent, but not brown.
Add 1 sliced carrot and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Simmer covered for 5 minutes and add 1 cup of shredded cabbage.
After a couple of minutes, add the coriander paste.
Make a slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons each of corn flour and water. Add to the soup and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add shredded chicken and cook for a couple of minutes, then turn off the flame.
Add salt and pepper to taste, if required. Mix in 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice and the remaining chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot!
Notes
Chicken: I recommend bone-in cuts of chicken like chicken thighs, drumsticks or quarters. The bones add a ton of flavor to the broth.
Lemon peel: Peel the lemon quite thinly so that it doesn't contain the white part (which is bitter). If it is difficult, zest the lemon.
For more flavor: If you have the time, return the separated chicken bones back to the broth and simmer for 30 minutes. This will deepen the flavor of the broth.
Cooking chicken: The cooking time depends on the size of the chicken pieces. DO NOT cook the chicken for more time than necessary. It is better to check after 15 minutes of simmering.
Cooking vegetables: Add vegetables (like carrots) that take longer to cook, first. When vegetables are overcooked in a soup, they lose flavor (unless you blend them). So you have to take as much care in cooking veggies as cooking chicken.
Substitutions: Try to use whole spices, but if you can't find them, buy the ground versions. Or you can replace cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and cloves with ¾ teaspoon of garam masala for this recipe. You won't get as much flavor but it still works.
Scaling: This recipe can be easily multiplied or reduced according to the number of people you are serving.
Make ahead option: This soup stays fresh in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for a month. Thaw it completely in the fridge and heat it just before serving.
Storing leftovers: Store the leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge and finish it up within a couple of days.