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Kak'ik
Turkey and chilli soup
Guatemala's Q'eqchi' Maya turkey soup with toasted chillies and achiote
Kak'ik is a red, aromatic turkey soup from the Q'eqchi' Maya of Alta Verapaz, around Cobán, and is cooked for weddings, saints' days and Christmas; it is now recognised as part of Guatemala's cultural heritage. Turkey legs simmer in a broth flavoured with toasted tomatoes, guajillo and pasa chillies, achiote, coriander and mint, and it is served with tamalitos or rice. The mistake is not toasting the chillies and tomatoes; the slight char gives the soup its smoky depth. Chef's tip: toast the dried chillies only for seconds, until they puff and smell fruity, or they turn bitter.
- Total time
- 115 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ lb turkey legs or thighsbone in
- 10 ½ cups water
- 2 tsp salt
- 5 tomatoes
- 3 tomatillos (optional)husked, optional
- 1 onionquartered
- 5 garlic clovesunpeeled
- 3 dried guajillo chilliesseeded
- 2 dried pasilla chilliesseeded
- 1 tbsp achiote (annatto) paste
- 1 red pepperroughly chopped
- ⅔ oz coriander
- ⅓ oz mint leaves
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 3 ⅓ lb turkey legs or thighs, 10 ½ cups water and 1 ½ tsp salt in a large pot. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer partly covered for 1 hour.
60 minStep 2: Meanwhile toast 5 tomatoes, 3 tomatillos, 1 onion and 5 garlic cloves in a dry heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat for 10–12 minutes, turning, until charred in spots.
12 minStep 3: Toast 3 dried guajillo chillies and 2 dried pasilla chillies in the same pan for 20–30 seconds a side, until they puff and smell fruity. Soak them in hot water for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 4: Peel the garlic. Blend the charred vegetables, drained chillies, 1 tbsp achiote (annatto) paste, 1 red pepper and half the ⅓ oz coriander with 300 ml of the turkey broth until smooth.
Step 5: Strain the sauce into the soup pot. Add the rest of ½ tsp salt and simmer for 25 minutes. The turkey must reach 165°F and should be tender.
25 minStep 6: Stir in ⅓ oz mint leaves and the rest of ⅓ oz coriander for the last 2 minutes. Serve a turkey piece in each bowl with plenty of broth, with tamalitos or rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kak'ik take?
- About 115 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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