As the winter chill sets in, there's nothing quite like a steaming bowl of soup to lift the spirits and warm the body. Ravinder Bhogal, a celebrated chef, shares three exquisite recipes designed to combat the January blues with their intense flavours and satisfying textures. These dishes move beyond simple spoonfuls, inviting you to grab a fork or chopsticks for a truly immersive culinary experience.
Khao Swe: A Burmese Noodle Soup Extravaganza
Khao swe, a traditional Burmese noodle soup, is a feast for the senses. It features a hot coconut broth, springy noodles, and a vibrant array of garnishes such as boiled eggs, peanuts, and crisp shallots. This recipe offers flexibility, allowing you to substitute the chicken with vegetables like pumpkin or tofu, or seafood such as prawns, making it adaptable to various dietary preferences.
Ingredients and Method
To prepare this dish, you'll need ingredients like neutral oil, cinnamon, star anise, red onions, garlic, ginger, chilli, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, chilli powder, turmeric, gram flour, chicken stock, coconut milk, chicken thighs, fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and flat rice or egg noodles. The process involves sautéing aromatics, toasting spices, simmering the broth with chicken, and finishing with tangy and sweet notes. Serve over cooked noodles and garnish generously for a bowl that's both comforting and exhilarating.
Sweet-and-Sour Peanut Dal with Pappardelle
Inspired by Gujarati dal dhokla, this recipe swaps the traditional dhokla for pappardelle pasta, creating a unique fusion dish. It combines toor dal (split pigeon peas) with peanuts in a rich, tangy broth, topped with a tempering of spices like mustard seeds, cumin, and curry leaves. The result is a hearty, flavourful soup that pairs beautifully with the broad pasta ribbons.
Preparation Steps
Begin by cooking the dal with turmeric, chilli, and peanuts until soft. Meanwhile, prepare a tempering with coconut oil, mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, garlic, chillies, tomato puree, tamarind, and jaggery. Combine this with the dal, adjust consistency with water, and simmer. Serve over cooked pappardelle, garnished with coriander and red onion for a dish that's both innovative and deeply satisfying.
Cheat's Dumpling Soup: Big Flavour, Minimal Effort
For those short on time but craving the comfort of dumpling soup, this recipe is a game-changer. It uses a pre-made chicken ramen broth as a base, enhanced with soy sauce, ginger, and spring onions. The dumplings are made with a simple filling of shiitake mushrooms, coriander, spring onions, ginger, sesame oil, and minced pork, wrapped in halved dumpling wrappers for ease.
Quick and Easy Method
Simmer the broth ingredients while preparing the dumpling filling by processing shiitake, coriander, spring onions, ginger, and sesame oil, then mixing with minced pork. Form into balls and cook directly in the soup, adding the dumpling wrappers briefly at the end. Serve with chilli oil for a spicy kick, making this a perfect weeknight meal that doesn't compromise on taste.
These recipes from Ravinder Bhogal are more than just meals; they are culinary antidotes to winter's gloom. With their bold spices, varied textures, and heartwarming broths, they promise to turn any cold day into a cosy, flavour-filled adventure. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a kitchen novice, these soups are sure to become staples in your winter repertoire.
