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Sinki ko jhol
Fermented radish soup
सिन्की (sinki ko jhol): sour eastern-hill soup of fermented dried radish with tomato, garlic and chilli
Sinki is the radish answer to gundruk: in late autumn, families in Ilam, Dhankuta and Terhathum pack chunks of radish root into pits lined with straw or into airtight jars, let them ferment for a few weeks, then cut and sun-dry the pieces into chewy, pungent strips that last all year. In winter and through the monsoon, a handful turns a pot of water, tomato, garlic and chilli into a thin, tangy, warming soup that is poured over rice or drunk from a bowl alongside dal bhat. It is light, sharp and savoury, and many people in the hills swear by it for a cold or a heavy stomach. It goes wrong if the sinki is not rinsed and soaked, so the soup tastes musty and gritty. Chef's tip: soak the strips in warm water for 10 minutes, squeeze them dry and fry them briefly in the oil before the water goes in, which mellows the funk and brings out a pleasant smokiness.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 /4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 small onionsliced
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 cm piece fresh gingergrated
- 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 /2 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 3 /4 tsp salt
- 3 ¾ cups water
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse 1 ⅜ oz dried sinki (fermented radish) twice, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then squeeze dry and cut into 2 cm pieces.
10 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a pot over a medium-high heat until it just smokes, then lower the heat and add 1 /4 tsp fenugreek seeds and 2 dried red chillies for 20 seconds until the fenugreek turns dark.
1 minStep 3: Add 1 small onion, 3 cloves garlic and 2 cm piece fresh ginger and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft.
4 minStep 4: Add the sinki, 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric and 1 /2 tsp red chilli powder and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.
2 minStep 6: Pour in 3 ¾ cups water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the soup tastes nicely sour.
10 minStep 7: Stir in 1 /4 tsp timur (Nepali Sichuan pepper), ground, scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve hot with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sinki ko jhol 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.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 fenugreek seeds?
- Leave them out, or add a little extra mustard seed (you lose the slightly bitter, maple-like note).
- What can I use instead of small onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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