A hearty, aromatic mutton soup with fall-apart tender meat, potatoes, carrots, and celery in a deeply spiced broth of cinnamon, star anise, and black pepper — Malaysia's ultimate rainy-day comfort bowl.
Ingredients
800g mutton (bone-in), cut into chunks
2 potatoes, cubed
2 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 tomatoes, quartered
1 large onion, quartered
5 cloves garlic, smashed
3cm ginger, sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
6 cardamom pods
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seeds
2L water
Salt
Fried shallots
Fresh coriander
Lime wedges
Crusty bread
Instructions
1Blanch mutton in boiling water for 5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and rinse.
2In a clean pot, add mutton, water, onion, garlic, ginger, and all whole spices. Bring to a boil.
3Reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 hours until the mutton is very tender and the broth is rich.
4Add potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cook for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
5Add tomatoes and simmer 5 more minutes. Season with salt.
6Serve in deep bowls, topped with fried shallots and fresh coriander. Provide lime wedges and crusty bread on the side.
Did You Know?
Sup kambing stalls in Malaysia often operate only at night, setting up at roadside spots after dark with massive bubbling cauldrons — their aromatic steam visible from blocks away.