Vegan Guthuk
Vegan Guthuk
About this Recipe
Losar, the Tibetan new year, falls between February and March, and is celebrated as a thanksgiving and harvest festival by Tibetan Buddhists around the world. Guthuk is a warm and nutritious soup, typically non-vegetarian, made with nine vegetables and small noodles called bhatsa. The highlight is the large dumpling with a fortune cookie-like message inside. This vegetarian version is as delightful tasting as it is to eat in a group, where you can enjoy reading the messages in the bowls together.
The Benefits
A mix of vegetables makes this a wholesome festive dish that is great for the gut and immune system. Celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots, and radish are high in fiber, anti-inflammatory goodness, and vitamins. Sesame oil has anti-inflammatory properties; research suggests it is good for heart health.
Note: The highlight of this recipe is the bhatsa, a big dough ball added to each bowl with a secret message inside on a tiny piece of parchment paper. As family and friends gather to partake of this feast, each person gets one of these large dumplings with a message inside, which they open and read aloud.
Ingredients
4 SERVES
For the Bhatsa
- 1 cup (200 g) whole wheat flour
- ½ cup (125 ml) of water
- ½ tsp salt
- 4-inch by 8-inch butter paper, cut into 4 equal strips
For the broth
- 1 Tbsp (14 ml) sesame oil
- 3 tsp minced or grated ginger
- 1 (80 g) medium tomato, diced
- 4-5 button mushrooms, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 (100 g) medium carrot, diced
- 1 (100 g) radish, diced
- 4 cups (1 L) of water
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1½ tsp salt
Directions
-
Step 1
Combine the flour and salt. Add water, a little at a time, and knead the dough for 3 to 5 mins until smooth. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. -
Step 2
Divide the dough into four portions. Divide the first portion into four and shape it into balls. Roll each ball into a small, thick disc, about 3-inches wide. Place the tiny piece of butter paper with the message in the center. Gently lift the edges and bring them together in the center to form a pouch. Press the ends together tightly to close. Once sealed, roll in the palm of your hands to make a round dumpling-like ball until smooth, with no cracks. -
Step 3
To make the smaller bhatsa noodles, roll each of the other three portions into long ropes, and cut into even pieces, about 1-inch-long each. With your thumb, press down pieces of dough to lightly flatten them while simultaneously rolling them away from your body to make a nice groove, almost like a shell, similar to cavatelli pasta. -
Step 4
In a wok or a pan, heat the oil, add the ginger and sauté. Add the chopped tomatoes, mushrooms, and the rest of the vegetables. Sauté on high until they soften. Add water and bring the contents to a rolling boil. -
Step 5
Gently add the dough balls with the messages into the boiling vegetable broth and cook on medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the smaller bhatsa noodles and the soy sauce and boil the soup for about 7 to 8 minutes or until they appear glossy and float. Ladle the soup into bowls, adding one big bhatsa to each bowl. Enjoy warm and share the blessings for a festive and mindful experience.
About the author
Rakesh Raghunathan
Rakesh Raghunathan is a popular South Indian food historian and TV show host. An abiding love for food and endless curiosity led him from a career in management to becoming a collector of South Indian recipes, food history, and culinary traditions, particularly temple and tribal foods.
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