Tibetan Highland Barley Meals, Part 2 of 2 – Vegan Nayutsithug (Palm Rolled Fish-Shaped Noodle Soup)

Following on from our last week’s theme on Tibetan Highland Barley Meals, today we are pleased to present a warm, comforting Tibetan staple dish, Vegan Nayutsithug, which is a vegan soup with small handmade fish-shaped noodles.

In a large mixing bowl, add 180 grams of highland barley flour. Then add 130 grams of water and mix. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes.

While the dough is resting, let’s prepare the vegetables for the soup. Dice 30 grams of king oyster mushrooms. Dice 20 grams of wood ear mushrooms. We pre-soaked 18 grams of the dried Tibetan yellow mushrooms, and then we slice them. In a frying pan, heat 20 grams of rapeseed oil. Add six grams of minced ginger and stir-fry until it sizzles and turns aromatic. Then add half a teaspoon of ground Sichuan pepper, and continue to stir-fry until it just starts to release the aroma. Next, add the Tibetan yellow mushrooms and stir-fry till fragrant. Add the king trumpet mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms, followed by the cubed carrots and potatoes. Then add the water that was used to soak the dried Tibetan yellow mushrooms and mix well. Add in one teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of soy sauce. When the mixture starts to boil, add 800 milliliters of water. Add some shiitake mushroom seasoning to enhance the taste of the soup. After the soup starts boiling, add a quarter of a teaspoon of ground white pepper and stir well. Our flavorful vegan soup for our little vegan handmade Tibetan noodles is ready.

Making the noodles involves pinching off a small portion of the dough, then rolling it back and forth on the kneading board with the center to the lower part of the palm. You also need to press it a little. Finally, use the lower part of the palm to roll the noodle out with a little force. We now have small pieces of noodles, which have pointy ends and a bulge in the middle, and the shape is just like a little fish.

Next, pour all the noodles into the pot and stir with a slotted ladle to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Using a slotted ladle, scoop the cooked noodles into a serving bowl. Pour in the soup which we prepared earlier. Top with the blanched green vegetables. Garnish with some chopped coriander to give the dish a refreshing herbal flavor. Finally, add a little sesame oil. Our flavorful, refreshing, and smooth Tibetan Vegan Nayutsithug, Palm Rolled Fish-Shaped Noodle Soup, is now ready.