Tukpa: Tibetan noodle soup

After the recipe by Betty Jung in
The Kopan Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes from a Tibetan Monastery.
(Search for this Title at Amazon.com.)

A traditional Tibetan dish, often served as the evening meal.


Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 1/4 C. butter
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, minced
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 c. red onion, diced
  • 1 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. Kopan masala
  • 1 c. potato, parboiled and cubed
  • 1 c. fresh tomatoes, chopped
  • 4-5 c. water
  • 1/4 lb. fresh flat egg noodles (I use 1 9-oz. plastic pkg. egg linguine)
  • 1/2 c. fresh spinach, chopped
  • 1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Cooking Method

  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add ginger, garlic, and red onion. Stir-fry over medium to medium-high heat for l minute.
  • Add turmeric, curry powder, chili powder, and masala. Mix well and stir fry for 1/2 a minute.
  • Add potatoes and tomatoes. Stir-fry 1 more minute.
  • Add water and bring to a boil.
  • Add egg noodles and boil for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Add spinach and boil for another 1-2 minutes. If soup is too thick, add more water.
  • Season with soy sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Remove from heat and serve hot.

Kopan Masala

A sweet aromatic mixture of dried spices used in many dishes at Kopan Monastery.
A commercial masala called "Garam Masala" is available in some stores.

Ingredients

Makes 1/2 cup
  • 1/3 c. coriander seeds
  • 1/4 c. cumin seeds
  • 10 black cardamom pods, peeled
  • 15 pale green cardamom pods, peeled
  • 25 cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks, broken up
  • 1 tsp. black peppercorns
  • 1/4 tsp. fresh nutmeg, ground

Cooking Method

  • Mix together and grind finely, but not to powder, with a coffee grinder, spice grinder, mortar and pestle, rolling pin, or food processor.
  • Stir in an air-tight jar.

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Last updated: 1999.01.18 17:00 PST Oakland, CA USA
Monday January 18th 1999