Tibetan Vegetable Soup Food

THUKPA

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, serranos, cumin and oil and process until smooth. Transfer the paste to a heavy-bottomed pot along with the chicken and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the carrot, bell peppers, beans, bamboo shoots and cabbage. Cover the pot halfway and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate. Once it is cool enough to handle, tear it into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot.
• Add the noodles and lemon juice and simmer until the noodles are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt.
• Spoon the thukpa into bowls, garnish with scallions and bean sprouts and serve very hot.

THENTHUK

Steps:

• Slowly add about ½ cup of water to 1 cup of all-purpose flour in a bowl.
• Mix the flour and water very well by hand and keep adding water until you can make a smooth ball of dough. Then knead the dough very well until the dough is flexible, 3-5 minutes. You want it both solid and flexible enough to stretch rather than break when pulled.
• Roll the dough between your hands to make a thick rope shape, and break that long piece into 4-5 shorter pieces of the same thickness.
• Put oil on your hand and roll the pieces between your hands again so they won't stick together.
• Put the 4-5 pieces of dough in a plastic bag or in a pot and put a lid to cover the dough so it doesn't dry out. Let rest, covered, for 15-20 minutes, so it can become flexible and easy to pull.
• If using daikon, peel and chop it. Cover the chopped daikon with water and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Soak the daikon in this salty water, stirring around with your hand, then rinse well. Tibetans say this takes the strong "radish smell" away.
• Chop the onion, ginger, garlic, and tomato.
• Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil on high heat until hot. Turn down heat to medium high and stir fry onion, ginger, and garlic for 2-3 minutes until the edges are a little brown. Raising the heat back up to high, add tomatoes, and cook covered, or about 3 minutes.
• Add bouillon and soy sauce. At this time, you can add the daikon, and cook, still on high, another 2-3 minutes.
• Add two and a half cups of water to the pot. Bring the broth to a boil, stirring occasionally. While the soup is cooking, chop ½ cup of cilantro, two green onions, and 2 cups of spinach (or as much as you like).
• When the broth starts to boil, you can add the dough. Take a wedge of dough and roll it between your hands so it gets a little longer. Flatten it with your fingers. Then pull the dough off in little flat pieces as long as your thumb and throw them in the pot.
• When all the noodles are in the pot, cook it for an additional 3-5 minutes to cook the noodles. After that, you can put in the cilantro, green onions, and spinach. They don't need to cook, really, so you can serve the soup immediately.

TIBETAN LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Bring the lentils and water to a boil, then reduce the hear, cover and simmer until tender- about 20 minutes Meanwhile, heat oil and saute the onions, garlic and chile for 5 minutes.
• Add the carrots, potatoes, coriander and cumin and saute for another minute, stirring to prevent sticking.
• Remove from the heat and set aside When lentils are tender, coarsely chop the tomatoes right in the can and stir them into the soup pot.
• Add the chopped cilantro, salt, and sauteed vegetables.
• Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until all of the vegetables are tender.