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by by Elizabeth Esther Kelly

Losar, or Tibetan New Year, falls on February 14th this year. Among the special recipes traditionally made as part of the festivities is Gutuk (surprise soup), a fun and delicious addition to this—or any other—celebration. This recipe is taken from Tibetan Cooking: Recipes for Daily Living, Celebration, and Ceremony by Elizabeth Kelly.

SURPRISE SOUP
Gu Tuk
SERVES 10

A traditional part of the Tibetan New Year is the making of gu tuk, two days before Losar morning. At this time there are many special pujas going on in the monasteries. This soup is traditionally made outdoors in a huge cauldron over an open fire. The elders preside over the making of the soup, stir into it their wisdom, energy, and prayers. A long wooden pestle is used to mix the grain and vegetable base for this soup.

The most intriguing aspect of this soup is its symbolism. It combines folklore with auspicious coincidence. The tuk, or noodles, for this soup are made into small spheres, like those in pa tuk made for the full moon day. In a very large pot, there could well be hundreds of these in the soup. Nine of these noodles contain a surprise inside.

The most intriguing aspect of this soup is its symbolism. It combines folklore with auspicious coincidence. The tuk, or noodles, for this soup are made into small spheres, like those in pa tuk made for the full moon day. In a very large pot, there could well be hundreds of these in the soup. Nine of these noodles contain a surprise inside.

These surprises consist of some small, natural object hidden inside the dough. The elder who is presiding over the gu tuk has written a list of these nine surprises and has attributed a quality to each. Each person who partakes of the soup has a chance to find a surprise in his or her bowl. How he or she relates to this discovery is up to them.

Members of the Tibetan community, Ithaca, NY, preparing momos for festival (photo by Yeshe Drolma)

Some examples are incense for kindness, a coin for prosperity or generosity, charcoal for a black heart, mustard seed for a small mind. Other objects might be used: paper, wood, a gem stone, dried chili, a bit of cloth, a dried bean. A soup such as this is quite provocative, hopefully directing one toward introspection before the New Year.

The following is a recipe for a vegetarian version of gu tuk. You may let the elder in your household compose their list for the occasion. You will need a large stock pot for this soup.

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups unbleached white flour
water
1 cup barley
2 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons ginger
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
4 plum tomatoes
6 stalks celery
6 carrots
4 large potatoes
8 mushrooms
1 bunch cilantro
olive oil

Make the dough by stirring cold water into the flour by hand until it becomes soft and workable. Set it aside, covered.

Wash, peel and chop all vegetables for the soup. Finely chop the ginger.

Sauté the onion, ginger, tomatoes, and mushrooms for 5 minutes.

Add the rest of the vegetables and the bouillon cubes. Add the barley and 12 cups of cold water, cooking over medium to high heat. While the soup is cooking prepare the noodles.

Roll the dough into a thick "snake" about 1 inch in diameter. Pull off pieces with floured hands and roll them into balls. Many hands make for quick work.

Count the number of people in the family that are present for the soup. You may also include any absent family members who wish they were with you. For each person, make one round dumpling that is double the size of the others that are going into the soup. Set these aside to be filled with the tiny surprises.

When the soup is boiling and the vegetables are tender, add all the round noodles, both the plain ones and those that are filled, and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.

The elder of the household does the honors, ladling the soup into bowls, choosing one large dumpling for each bowl. When everyone is served and the prayers said, the eating fun begins. It is amazing how appropriate dumpling soup predictions can be!