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Bantan
Ulaanbaatar soup of minced meat and rubbed flour crumbs
MongolianBantan is the Mongolian comfort soup, cooked in Ulaanbaatar homes on freezing winter mornings and given to anyone who's ill, tired or recovering from a long night out. Flour is rubbed with a little water into tiny crumbs, which thicken a broth of minced mutton or beef into a soft, porridge-like soup. It is plain, warming and ready in half an hour. A common mistake is dumping the crumbs in at once, which makes lumps; sprinkle them slowly while stirring. Chef's tip: rub the flour between your palms until the crumbs are the size of rice grains.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 oz plain flour
- 4 tbsp cold water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 10 ½ oz minced mutton or beef
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 spring onions (optional)sliced
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 4 oz plain flour in a bowl and sprinkle over 4 tbsp cold water a spoonful at a time, rubbing between your palms until it forms small, dry crumbs the size of rice grains.
5 minStep 2: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pot and fry 10 ½ oz minced mutton or beef and 1 onion for 5–6 minutes, breaking up the mince, until browned.
6 minStep 3: Pour in 6 ¼ cups water and 1 ½ tsp salt and bring to the boil.
5 minStep 4: Sprinkle in the flour crumbs slowly, stirring constantly, then simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the soup thickens and the meat is cooked through (160°F).
10 minStep 5: Season with ½ tsp black pepper, scatter with 2 spring onions and serve hot.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bantan take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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