Chicken Thukpa
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 6 servings
- Total: 3 hr 35 min (includes marinating time)
- Active: 50 min
Ingredients
Marinated Chicken:
20 ounces chicken thigh strips
1 tablespoon yogurt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
Noodles:
4 cups egg noodles
Salt
Oil
Homemade Chile Sauce:
1 ounce dry red chile
1 teaspoon timur pepper (Sichuan peppercorns)
2 cloves garlic
Salt
Ginger Garlic Paste:
1/2 cup garlic
1/2 cup fresh ginger
Vegetable Stock:
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium onions, halved
4 carrots, whole, plus 3 ounces carrot, julienne
2 stalks celery
2 bay leaves
Salt
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup fresh thyme
5 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 ounces cabbage, julienne
3 ounces bell pepper, julienne
25 ounces vegetable stock
1 ounce ketchup
1/2 ounce chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 ounce chopped spring onion
Micro cilantro or regular cilantro leaf and amaranth, for garnish
Directions
- For the marinated chicken: Marinate the chicken with the yogurt, chili powder, turmeric and 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste in a bowl. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- For the noodles: Boil the noodles in salted boiling water for 4 minutes. Strain and let cool down, then mix with the oil.
- For the homemade chile sauce: Boil the chile with the timur and garlic for 10 minutes, then blend with a little water until it has a paste consistency. Add salt to taste.
- For the ginger garlic paste: Blend the garlic and ginger into a paste with little oil in the blender.
- For the vegetable stock: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a stockpot over high heat. Add the onions, whole carrots, celery, bay leaves, parsley, thyme and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add salt and 2 cups water and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain and discard the vegetables.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same stockpot and add 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste and the chicken (save the remaining ginger garlic paste for another use). Cook until golden brown in color. Add the cabbage, bell peppers and julienned carrots and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cook until the vegetables are soft and the chicken is cooked. Add the noodles, 1 ounce homemade chile sauce, ketchup, chopped cilantro and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Season to taste. Garnish with the spring onions and micro cilantro or regular cilantro and amaranth.
Cook’s Note
Marinating the chicken ahead of time is always better. Fresh noodles are always better.