What's up, guys? Sanjyot Keer here. Welcome to YFL I am sharing the recipe for 'Thukpa' with you all
So what is a 'Thukpa'?
It is a Tibetian delicacy. Any noodle dish that is prepared in soupy style is called 'Thukpa' And it originates from Tibetian cuisine. But it is widely made in Nepal as well, & in North-Eastern states in India.
So the 'Thukpa' that I am sharing today is the one that I make at home, & is the vegetarian version of the same Thukpas can be of a different variety, & usually, it contains noodles, meat, a broth making a soup & is very delicious.
But the version that I am cooking today, is the vegetarian version which I make at my home.
It is that recipe that I am sharing with you Along with it I am going to share the recipe of 'Momo-chutney' Because I personally love eating the Thukpa after adding a spicy garlicky chutney to it I will share the recipe for that as well with you.
Firstly to make 'Thukpa', we need to boil the noodles, So let's prep for it.
So here, to boil the noodles, I've got the water come up to a roaring boil Once the water is boiling nicely, then at this stage, you have to add the noodles. Don't add noodles in cold water.
Today, I have taken 1 packet of noodles, which is approximately 150gms
As soon as you add the noodles, add some salt to taste & 1 tsp of oil
Now for how long should you cook the noodles? Firstly, I am cooking these noodles for 1-2 minutes on a roaring boil No need to cook more than that. You can see that within 1 minute of boiling the noodles, they are quite soft Although they have softened, they aren't cooked through. So to cook them, I am going to turn the stove off after 1 minute After turning the gas off, you need to let the noodles soak in hot water for additional 1-1.5 minutes & then check if the noodles are cooked or not.
Take some noodles out of hot water, & once it cools, press the noodle to check If it can be pinched & there is a slight bite to the noodle, then your noodle is cooked perfectly
At this stage, you have to drain the noodles. So as you can see here, the noodles are cooked well, & so I am draining them Once the noodles are drained, add some oil to them & mix it well
This will stop the noodles from sticking to one another until you are ready to use them So for any noodle recipe that you make, you have to boil the noodles in the same way
Many times at home, we end up making the mistake of cooking the noodles on high flame for 8-10 minutes as per package instructions & which results in overcooked noodles
Coz we may take some time to drain them & the carry forward cooking continues in that way
Basically, the noodles that we purchase are dehydrated noodles, which need to be rehydrated.
So this is the best method to rehydrate. You cook your noodles in this manner
Your noodles will have a slight bite to them & will have good texture while eating, & not like mashed doughball
The noodles will have a proper bite to them So always you should boil the noodles by this method
Now, the next component of the 'Thukpa', the actual broth in which we will add vegetables & spices to make the soup, Let's prep for it
To make the broth for 'Thukpa', I have taken a Wok here
Heat up the wok really nicely Once the wok is nice and hot, I am adding 2 tbsp oil to it
Here you can even use mustard oil.
Once the oil is heated, to this I am adding
1 inch chopped ginger,
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1-2 slit green chillies,
& I am adding 1 tbsp coriander stems that I've chopped finely
Now, you have to cook the ginger & garlic on high flame for a couple of seconds to a minute then, I am adding half sliced onion
After adding the onion, you have to cook it for only 1-2 minute on high flame until they turn translucent
Now, as you can see the onion is turned translucent, at this stage, to it I am adding half sliced tomato You have to cook the tomatoes, similarly for 1-2 minutes on high flame Cook the tomatoes nicely, until they soften Once the tomatoes have softened, we will add some spices to it Before adding the spices, lower the flame a little bit
Now to this, I am adding
1/4th tsp turmeric powder,
1 tsp (Kashmiri) red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder,
1 tsp garam masala powder,
& here I am adding a pinch of Sichuan pepper Now stir these spices properly.
Once the spices are stirred & cook slightly for a few seconds, At this stage, I am adding the hot stock to this. The stock that I am adding is the vegetable stock, Here, I am adding approximately 2 litres of vegetable stock
You can add hot water as well, instead of vegetable stock But the vegetable stock is definitely much more flavoursome, So try to make the vegetable stock to use here
Now, stir it well & let it come to a boil. Once it comes to a good boil, we have to add some vegetables to it.
1/3rd cup julienned carrots,
1/3rd cup red bell pepper,
1/3rd cup green capsicum,
1/3rd cup yellow bell pepper
1/3rd cup mushroom,
1/3rd cup shredded cabbage
2 tsp light soy sauce,
and I am adding salt to taste & a pinch of black pepper
Now mix everything properly by stirring & you have cook these vegetables for only 2-3 minutes Cook the vegetable briefly so that they still retain their crunch, the vegetables should not become limp or soft If the vegetables are still crunchy, when you eat the soup, the crunch & bite of vegetables will add a great texture & interest
Now as you can see, I have cooked this soup for 2-3 minutes & the vegetables have also cooked perfectly with a good crunch to them
At this stage, I am checking for the seasoning by tasting, to check if I need to add more salt It needed more seasoning so I have added some more salt Along with that, I am adding 1 tsp lemon juice to this some fresh coriander & I'm adding chopped green stalks of spring onions
Now once again stir it well, but you don't need to cook it any further, our soup component of 'Thukpa' is ready now...
Now our noodles are boiled & the 'Thukpa' soup is ready, At this stage, you can serve it by combining both these elements with some garnishes But I had promised that I will share the recipe for 'Momo Chutney' as well,
So quickly, let's make a 'Momo Chutney'
& one more point, I had used Sichuan peppercorn in this recipe, if you don't have it, you can skip it & substitute it with black pepper
However, if you do have Sichuan pepper, it'll give a very nice flavour, & it is commonly used in this cuisine, then you should add it
Let's see, how to make 'Momo-Chutney' in my style...
On the stovetop, I have placed a mesh-grill, on this mesh-grill, we have to roast some tomatoes just like we roast egg-plants (brinjals) for 'bhartha'
Here, I have taken 3 tomatoes. These tomatoes have to be roasted nicely until they soften, & their skin turns black
We are looking for nice charred skin. By doing so, the tomatoes will cook & get a nice smoky flavour, & chutney will get very good flavour
Now as you can see, I have roasted the tomatoes from all sides by turning them around & their skin has charred very well
At this stage, transfer the tomatoes to a bowl After transferring the tomatoes to a bowl, cover it with a lid for 1-2 minutes
The steam inside will cook the tomatoes further & it will also make it easier to peel off the skin
Now after 1-2 minutes, remove the tomatoes & peel off the skins from them. Be careful as the tomatoes may be quite hot. So remove entire skin of the tomatoes carefully.
After peeling the skins, cut the tomatoes into quarters so that they are easy to grind I have cut the tomatoes into quarters
Now, I will transfer them into a chopper & along with it add some more ingredients
So, here, I am adding 15-16 dried red chillies that I had soaked in water, along with that, I have also added a handful of fresh coriander leaves & a small handful of roughly chopped green stalks of spring onions 3-4 green chillies, 8-10 cloves of garlic a pinch of sugar, salt to taste & 1 tsp of lemon juice
You don't need to add any water to this, the juices of tomatoes will be enough to blend the chutney well.
Now, you have to make this into a coarse paste. If you are using a chopper, it will give you a perfect texture
However, if you are using a mixer-grinder, then run it on pulse mode to get a coarse paste ready for the chutney
Now you can see, I have blended the chutney well. It's got a perfect colour & a perfect texture & an absolutely delicious chutney is ready
Our noodles are ready, the thukpa soup is also ready & momo chutney is also ready.
Now, let's see how to assemble the 'Thukpa' Let's plate the 'Thukpa' YFL style
So our 'Thukpa soup' is ready, served & is looking absolutely delicious
There's a chill in the weather & having a nice clear, piping hot 'Thukpa soup' is a joy in itself & the addition of the momo-chutney gives a spicy kick & a garlicky flavour adds another dimension so try making it similarly
Thukpa is usually non-vegetarian, & a wholesome broth is made from various types of meat & then it is served by adding noodles & some garnishes on top
Since I was making a vegetarian version today, I have used a lot of variety of vegetables
If you want to make a non-vegetarian version, then you can make a nice non-vegetarian stock, & for the rest of the steps follow this recipe to make 'Thukpa'
Do give this recipe a try. Enjoy 'Thukpa' in this beautiful chilly weather. & tell me in the comments how did you like this recipe
Have an amazing time with this beautiful, hot & delicious 'Thukpa' recipe at your home
Cheers!
English (United Kingdom)