Turmeric and greens soup, with chicken, sesame & quinoa dumplings

Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Serves 4

A bowl of pure comfort that packs a nutritional punch. This recipe serves up a healthy dose of protein and fibre with lots of greens to keep you healthy over the colder months. The meatballs are quick to make and have a rich and satisfying Asian flavour. You’ll find yourself making this again and again.

If you have time to make the spring onion and coriander pesto, you’ll absolutely love the zingyness a spoonful of it brings to the soup.

Vegetarians can sub in vegetable stock and can use the quinoa dumpling part of THIS recipe as a vegetarian alternative for this soup. Simply double the quantities and utilise the seasoning that the chicken meatballs use. Ginger, garlic, spring onion etc.

 

400g free-range chicken mince
1 ½ cups cooked Alison’s Pantry Quinoa*
¼ cup Alison’s Pantry Sesame Seeds
1 free-range egg
Large handful roughly chopped fresh coriander
2 spring onions (green part) – finely sliced
2 garlic cloves – finely diced
1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
Generous pinch red chilli flakes (or as desired)

Soup base

2 litres low-salt chicken stock
1 cup water
1 garlic clove – finely diced
1 tsp finely grated ginger root
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce (vegetarians can omit)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar (optional but recommended)
2 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp curry powder
1 tsp sesame oil

Brazil nut, coriander and spring onion pesto

12 Alison’s Pantry Brazil Nuts**
Large handful of fresh coriander leaves
3 spring onions – green part roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
1/3 cup olive oil
Sea salt and cracked black pepper

 

1 cup grated carrot
2 cups greens – could be baby spinach leaves or steamed greens like kale, silverbeet or bok choy

To garnish: additional finely chopped spring onions, sesame seeds and fresh coriander leaves

 

Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Use a fork to mash all the elements together and ensure they are evenly combined. Roll golf ball sized balls using very damp hands (this makes it much easier to handle the mixture). Place the meatballs in the fridge until ready to use.

Place all the soup base ingredients into a large pot. Bring to a boil before adding the carrot and the meatballs. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the greens and remove from the heat.

Garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds.

Use a small food processor or hand blender to blitz together the Alison’s Pantry Brazil Nuts, spring onions, coriander, lime juice, and olive oil. Season generously with salt and cracked black pepper

*To cook Alison’s Pantry Quinoa: place ½ cup of rinsed Alison’s Pantry Quinoa with 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil before simmering for 12-15 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, place the lid on tightly, and leave to sit for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.

 

** If you don’t want to use Brazil Nuts, feel free to use Natural Almonds or Natural Cashews (or a mixture of both!), it will work fine instead of Brazil Nuts.

 

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