This soup is to die for and made extra special if served with freshly buttered chewy Ciabatta rolls or thickly buttered French Loaf. Eat this soup while the rain pelts down and you are in 7th heaven! That’s if you can still handle bread and all the poisons being sprayed on wheat nowadays
There is nothing better than eating this soup on a cold, wet and rainy day.
NOTES:
Best is to put your mutton on first thing in the morning so you can monitor it during the course of the day. If you know your temperature very well, as I do mine in my electric wok – you may cook your meat overnight. I usually leave my wok on number 2 setting, overnight or if cooking during the course of the day, I set my temperature to just a wee notch past the number 2 mark. Electric woks act as the best slow cookers ever! They have self-regulating temperatures and are unlikely to burn your meat, unless you allow them to dry out and the bonus is, once your meat falls off the bones, they can then be removed and you may then brown and caramelize your meats in their own fats and gravy
They have self-regulating temperatures and are unlikely to burn your meat, unless you allow them to dry out and the bonus is, once your meat falls off the bones, they can then be removed and you may then brown and caramelize your meats in their own fats and gravy
Mutton marrow bones are lovely addition to this soup if you have them. If your meat happens to be on the lean side, sheep tail fat is excellent too
To Serve: You may use freshly chopped coriander, mint or celery leaves which is optional and merely up to you. However, this soup is still very delish, even without it Optional: You may add a few curry leaves. And again, this soup is still very delish without it
Optional: You may add a few curry leaves. And again, this soup is still very delish without it
INGREDIENTS:
1.450 g Mutton chops (You may use any mutton stewing meat)
170 g Dhal (Toor Dal)
62 g ginger
6 cloves garlic
3 onions, medium
1 jalapeno
2 tomatoes, jam tomatoes (oval Roma tomatoes) or 1 large tomato
5 ml cumin seeds
10 ml coriander seeds
5 ml black peppercorns
5 ml fennel seeds
2.5 ml turmeric powder
2 sprigs of curry leaves – Optional
Salt to taste
METHOD:
Add your mutton to a large heavy bottomed saucepan or an electric wok, together with a cup of water and some salt to taste. Simmer over a very low heat. Topping up water as needed until the meat falls, clean away from the bones. Do not allow your meat to dry out or burn. Keep a close watch, topping up water as needed. Cook on low and slow so that it just gently bubbles away on and off, which will prevent meat shrinkage and the flavour will be so much more enhanced.
As soon as meat comes away clean away from bones – remove all the bones and discard.
Allow to cook until water has evaporated and you are left with all your rendered mutton fats and juices.
Now you may brown your meat in its own fats, turning gently with a non-metal spatula or a flexible egg lifter, so as not to break up the meat too much.
Remove meat when done and set aside, covered.
Now – You MUST tip out all your mutton fats into a tub to refrigerate – Makes the most delish roasted potatoes or you may use in your drier cuts of meat You don’t want all this extra fat lying around in your soup. The fat clinging to the meat is sufficient enough and it is far easier to add fat back to soups than it is to remove it when done.
You don’t want all this extra fat lying around in your soup. The fat clinging to the meat is sufficient enough and it is far easier to add fat back to soups than it is to remove it when done.
Once you have removed your meat and fat from your saucepan: Add your dhal, together with enough water to cover and cook over a medium to low heat or until your dhal becomes mushy soft.
To a Food processor add: Your ginger chopped up, followed by the whole jalapeno, chopped peeled onions and whole garlic cloves. Whizz until a puree.
Now you may remove lid from your food processor and add in your roughly chopped tomato. Give it another whizz until your tomato has pureed into your garlic and ginger.
Empty contents from your food processor into your dhal, stirring in to blend.
Swish out food processor bowl with some water and add it to soup.
To a coffee grinder: Add your cumin, coriander, fennel and black peppercorns.
Whizz until ground. Stir it into soup together with your turmeric powder and cook gently, topping up water until done.
Now add your meat back to your soup. I just snip it into soup using a kitchen scissors.
Swish your meat bowl out with some hot water to dissolve fats and stir this back into your soup.
Add water as needed together with salt to season until desired consistency is reached.
Serve plain or garnished with freshly chopped coriander (Cilantro), mint or celery leaves.
Enjoy and I promise that you will!
Source: This is my own creation.