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Sup kambing
Mutton soup
Sup kambing: peppery mamak mutton soup with whole spices
Mamak restaurants in Penang and Kuala Lumpur keep a pot of sup kambing going from breakfast to supper, ladled over chunks of mutton on the bone and eaten with slices of soft white bread or roti. The broth is clear but powerful: black pepper, star anise and cinnamon, a little tomato and potato, and a crown of fried shallots, celery leaves and lime. It is what Malaysians crave when they have a cold. Chef's tip: grinding the spices to powder clouds the broth and makes it gritty; tie them whole in a muslin bag, the way stalls do with their 'sup bunjut'.
- Total time
- 140 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the spice bag
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 5 cloves
For the soup
- 2 ¼ lb mutton or lamb on the boneneck or shoulder, cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 onionsliced
- 5 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 ⅝ in fresh gingercrushed
- 8 ¼ cups water
- 2 potatoespeeled and quartered
- 1 carrotin chunks
- 2 tomatoesquartered
- 2 tsp saltto taste
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
To serve
- ½ oz Chinese celery leaveschopped
- 2 spring onionssliced
- 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots
- 1 limein wedges
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (10)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toast 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tbsp black peppercorns in a dry pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant. Crack them lightly, then tie them in a muslin bag with 2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 5 cloves and 4 green cardamom pods.
2 minStep 2: Put 2 ¼ lb mutton or lamb on the bone in a pot of cold water, bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the meat and the pot; this keeps the soup clear.
8 minStep 3: Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in the clean pot over a medium heat and fry 1 onion, 5 garlic cloves and 1 ⅝ in fresh ginger for 5 minutes until soft and golden.
5 minStep 4: Add the mutton, the spice bag and 8 ¼ cups water. Bring to the boil, skim off any scum, then cover and simmer gently for 1½ hours until the meat is tender and starting to come off the bone.
90 minStep 6: Remove the spice bag. Season with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground white pepper; the soup should taste distinctly peppery.
Step 7: Ladle into bowls and top with ½ oz Chinese celery leaves, 2 spring onions and 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots, with 1 lime to squeeze over. Serve with bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sup kambing take?
- About 140 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 120 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 gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
- What can I use instead of fennel seeds?
- Aniseeds, same amount (a stronger liquorice taste).
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