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Gundruk Soup

Sour, earthy soup of fermented mustard greens with tomato and roasted soybean — a warming Sikkimese winter staple poured over rice.

Ingredients

• 1 cup gundruk (dried fermented leafy greens)
• ¼ cup dried soybeans (bhatmas)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 3 green chillies, slit
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp mustard oil
• salt to taste

Method

1. Soak the gundruk in warm water for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the water and chop roughly.
2. Dry roast the soybeans in a pan for 5 minutes until they crack and turn golden. Set aside.
3. Heat the mustard oil till it smokes lightly, then add the onion and fry 3 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies and fry 1 minute.
5. Add the tomatoes and turmeric and cook 4 minutes until soft.
6. Add the gundruk and fry 2 minutes, then pour in 4 cups water with salt.
7. Add the roasted soybeans and simmer 10 minutes. Serve hot as a soup or over rice.

Tip: Gundruk is already sour, so taste before adding extra tomato. Squeeze it well after soaking or the soup turns too sharp.