Nepali Gundruk Soup with Potato

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried gundruk or 4 cups chopped mustard greens
• 12 oz potatoes, cut into chunks
• 3 tbsp mustard or neutral oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 dried red chilies
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 5 cups water or broth
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Salt

Steps

1. Soak the dried gundruk in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain and squeeze it out, chopping it roughly.
2. Rinse it once more. Gundruk carries grit from drying, and a gritty soup is unpleasant no matter how well seasoned.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy pot until shimmering, then add the fenugreek seeds and dried chilies and let them darken for 10 to 15 seconds only.
4. Fenugreek turns harshly bitter the moment it goes past golden brown, so have the onion ready to go in immediately.
5. Add the onion and cook for 8 minutes until golden, then the garlic, ginger, and turmeric for 30 seconds.
6. Add the tomatoes and cook for 6 minutes, until they collapse, then stir in the drained gundruk and fry it for 3 minutes so it takes on the oil.
7. Add the water and the potatoes and simmer for 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the broth has taken on the sour, deeply savoury flavour of the greens.
8. Crush a couple of potato chunks to thicken the soup, season with salt, and serve with the cilantro and lime wedges.

Allergen note: Contains soy and mustard.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.