Tibetan Thukpa with Chicken | Warming Noodle Soup

Pat the chicken breast fillet dry and cut into thin, bite-sized strips. Halve the red onion and slice into thin half-moons. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves and fresh ginger. Peel the carrots and cut into fine matchsticks. Wash and dice the tomatoes. Wash the pak choi, cut the white stem ends into thin strips, and chop the greens into bite-sized pieces.

Heat the neutral vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the red onion, chopped garlic, and ginger, and saute gently for 2 to 3 minutes until wonderfully fragrant. Stir in the ground cumin and turmeric powder and toast for 30 seconds – this releases the characteristic Tibetan spice notes and gives the soup an appetizing golden colour.

Add the chicken strips to the pot and sear on all sides for approx. 2 minutes. Then stir in the diced tomatoes and carrot matchsticks. Deglaze everything with the soy sauce and pour in the hot chicken broth. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is tender and the vegetables are tender-crisp.