A Lean Dinner For Two; Thukpa

For those of us who love to eat, Thukpa is for a fitter you. The best part of this meal is that it fills you up without too much fuss and you get to everything you love in one bowl, literally. Enjoy my very first step towards a single chin, Thukpa.

Thukpa – Spicy Chicken, Vegetable and Noodle Soup

Thukpa is an East Indian soup, made with meat, vegetables and noodles or dumplings for thickening. It is a meal in itself, complete with proteins and carbs. In this recipe I have used chicken and some bacon for flavouring. You can use pork belly, lamb, seafood or a combination of meats to suit your preference. For vegetarian Thukpa, simply skip the meat or chicken and add in a combination of vegetables that you fancy. 

   

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Chicken, boneless, cut into chunks 2 cups

Lemon, juice 2 tbspn

Red chilli 2

Salt to taste

Vegetable Oil few drops

Bacon 2 rashers (Optional)

Spring onion, chopped 1 cup

Ginger 1 ½ inch, chopped

Garlic, peeled 5 cloves

Carrot, chopped  ½ cup

Beans (any green beans), chopped ½ cup

Tomatoes, chopped 1 cup

Spinach, cleaned ½ bunch

Mushroom 5, quartered

Chicken Stock 3 cups

Noodles 1 cup

Sugar 1 teaspoon

Soy Sauce 1 tbspn

Vinegar 1 tbspn (use lemon juice)

Basil a few leaves

Coriander Leaves, roughly chopped ¼ cup

Scrambled Egg on top (optional)

Method:

Crush the red chillies. Rub in salt, half the crushed red chilli and lemon juice to the chicken chunks.

Heat oil in a deep pan, and then add in ginger, garlic and the chopped white bulbs of spring onion. Stir in and allow it to cook until the onion turns translucent.

Now, add in carrots, beans and cook on a high flame for two minutes. Add in the chicken, then the spinach, mushrooms, tomato, salt and crushed red chilli. Stir and cook on medium heat.

Add in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Now, add in noodles or dumplings, allow the thukpa to thicken. Add in sugar, soy sauce, basil, coriander leaves and lemon juice or vinegar. Top the Thukpa with scrambled egg for garnish.

Enjoy the flavour riot!