1 large red potato or other waxy variety, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes
2 fresh bay leaves
2 plum tomatoes, roughly grated, skins discarded
1tsp tomato purée
1/2tsp ground turmeric
1tsp fine sea salt
80g wheat vermicelli noodles, broken into 3-4cm lengths
100g kefir, at room temperature
1tbsp lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
21/2tsp cumin seeds, finely crushed
Method
Peel the carrots for the soup and remove the stems from the coriander, ready to use in the stock. Make the stock by adding the wings to a large, lidded pan and pouring over water to cover by approx. 3cm. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat, then pour the wings into a colander set over the sink, discarding the water and any impurities.
Wipe out the pan and put the wings back in along with the remaining stock ingredients, the reserved carrot peel and coriander stems and 1.7 litres water. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid and leave to simmer gently for 1 hour 20 minutes. Pour the broth through a colander into a bowl and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, pick the meat from the chicken wings, discarding the skin and bones, and set aside.
For the soup, wipe out the pan and return to a medium- high heat with 1tbsp of the oil. Once hot, add the carrots, potato and bay leaves and cook for around 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, to soften. Add the grated tomato, tomato purée, turmeric and salt and cook for around 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Pour the broth into the pan and bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
Meanwhile, toast the noodles in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes until deeply browned. Set aside. Use a ladle to transfer around 300g of the soup, of equal parts solids to liquids, avoiding the bay leaves, to a blender (or use a jug and a hand-held blender). Blitz until smooth, then stir back into the soup, along with the kefir, noodles and chicken meat. Don’t worry if it looks split after adding the kefir – this will even out as it cooks. Cook over a medium heat for another 15 minutes or until the noodles are soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Put the remaining 3tbsp oil and the garlic in a small frying pan set over a medium heat. Cook for 11/2-2 minutes, stirring often, or until the garlic starts to lightly colour, then stir in the coriander leaves and cumin and cook for 30 seconds more. Immediately pour this into the soup, stirring, and serve.
Recipes and photographs taken from Lugma by Noor Murad, photography by Matt Russell (Quadrille, £28)
