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Chutagi
Wheat pasta in vegetable soup
ཆུ་ཏ་གི: Ladakhi bow-tie wheat pasta simmered in a turnip, carrot and greens broth
In Leh and the villages along the Indus, chutagi is the one-pot supper of the long winter: little hand-pinched bow-ties of wheat dough dropped into a broth of turnip, carrot, onion and greens. Families sit around the stove pinching the dough together while the pot comes to the boil, and the soup is eaten piping hot, often with a spoon of chilli paste on the side. The broth is light but the pasta makes it filling. The usual mistake is rolling the dough too thick, which leaves the centres of the bows doughy; roll it about as thin as a coin. Chef's tip: let the shaped bows dry on a floured tray for ten minutes before they go in, so they hold their pinched centre instead of opening up in the pot.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup waterlukewarm
For the broth
- 2 tbsp mustard or sunflower oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 1 tomatochopped
- 1 turnippeeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 carrotcut into small cubes
- 6 ¼ cups water or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 ½ oz spinach or turnip greensshredded
- 2 spring onionssliced
To serve
- 1 tsp chilli paste or chopped green chilli (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 7 oz plain wheat flour (atta or maida) and ¼ tsp salt, then add ½ cup water a little at a time and knead to a firm, smooth dough that does not stick to your hands. Cover and rest 15 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Roll the dough on a floured board to about 2 mm thick and cut into 3 cm squares. Pinch each square firmly in the middle so it looks like a bow-tie. Spread on a floured tray to dry while you start the broth.
15 minStep 3: Heat 2 tbsp mustard or sunflower oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry 1 onion for 5 minutes until soft and golden at the edges, then add 3 garlic cloves and 1 tbsp fresh ginger and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
6 minStep 4: Add 1 tomato and cook 3 minutes until it breaks down, then add 1 turnip, 1 carrot, 6 ¼ cups water or vegetable stock and 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil and simmer 8 minutes until the turnip is almost tender.
11 minStep 5: Drop the bow-ties into the boiling broth a handful at a time, stirring so they do not stick. Simmer 8–10 minutes until the thickest pinched centre is cooked through when you bite one.
10 minStep 6: Stir in 3 ½ oz spinach or turnip greens and 2 spring onions and cook 2 minutes until the greens wilt. Taste for salt. Serve hot with 1 tsp chilli paste or chopped green chilli and 2 tbsp fresh coriander.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chutagi take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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