Superfood Immunity Dumplings from Chef John, Six Senses Bhutan
Mushrooms, rhododendron consommé
Herbs, plants and fungi can be combined to boost the immune system by stimulating the activity of cells responsible for fighting infections. This consommé acts as a warming turbo-shot to fight off colds and flu. The Szechuan is electric on your tongue too!
Two servings
- 80 g (1 ½ cups) dumplings (see recipe)
- 1 L consommé (see recipe)
- Sea salt for cooking pasta
Garnish – your choice*
- Foraged wild mushrooms
- Roasted turnip, white radish or your favorite vegetables
- Nasturtium leaves, fresh thyme or other local herbs
- Edible flowers
Make me
Warm: Heat the consommé in a small pot. Set aside.
Cook: Meanwhile, fill another pot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt until the water tastes like salty tears. Drop in the dumplings and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until the pasta is cooked. They should float to the surface. Do not overcrowd your pot.
Drain: Pour the dumplings through a colander.
Assemble: Transfer the dumplings and your choice of cooked vegetables to a bowl, pour the consommé over the top. Garnish with local herbs and flowers.
Recipe notes:
*The dumplings and consommé will work well with any fresh vegetables including bok choy, broccoli, carrots, cabbage or anything you wish to experiment with.
DF = dairy-free | GF = gluten-free | SF = sugar-free |V = vegetarian
Dumplings (djobchee-gnam thup)
Two servings
- 100 g organic sweet buckwheat flour
- 1 whole free-range egg
- 80 ml cold water
- 10 g (1 tbsp) pink sea salt
Make me
Mix: In medium sized bowl combine the flour and salt and in a small bowl, mix together the egg and water. With a wooden spoon or spatula, slowly mix the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients (add small amounts at a time to avoid lumps or clumps).
Knead: Tip the completed mixture onto a well-floured table and knead gently (as for pasta) for 5-7 minutes or until the mixture becomes smooth, firm and slightly sticky.
Rest: Cover the completed dough and allow to rest, refrigerated for 30 minutes.
Shape: Traditionally in Bhutan, this type of dough is formed in long thin, tapered “barrel” shapes, which is achieved by flattening a small amount of dough with your thumb in the palm of your hand and then rolling the flattened dough tightly together. However, we have experimented with many shapes as well as rolling in a pasta machine for Udon style noodles and all have worked well. Choose whichever shape suits your dish.
Rhododendron consommé
Two servings
- 1 l water
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) light soy sauce
- 25 g ginger, finely chopped
- 5 g (3 sprigs) fresh Szechuan pepper leaves if available
- 5 g (1 tsp) dry Szechuan pepper
- 3 whole dried red chilies (split)
- 5 g (6 to 8 leaves) fresh shiso
- 15 g (1 large handful) fresh lemon verbena leaves
- 5 g (3 sprigs) fresh thyme
- 20 g (1 handful) dehydrated rhododendron petals (or hibiscus)
- 50 g dry mushrooms (wood ear or shiitake)*
- 20 g (2 tbsp) pink sea salt
Make me
Simmer: Add water, soy sauce, ginger, Szechuan leaves, pepper and dried chilies to a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Steep: To the boiled, still hot liquid add shiso, verbena, thyme, flower petals and mushrooms. Return to the heat and bring to a boil. Remove again, cover with a lid and let steep until mixture has cooled to room temperature.
Clarify: Gently pass the mixture through a coffee filter or fine cloth using a sieve and bowl. The remaining liquid should be a very clear reddish-brown liquid having extracted flavor and color from herbs and flowers.
Season: Warm the consommé (do not boil) before using and adjust the seasoning with pink sea salt before serving. The consommé should be very aromatic to the nose (Szechuan, verbena, thyme, shiso, ginger) and slightly sour (rhododendron/hibiscus) and “electric” (Szechuan/shiso) on the tongue. All flavors should be tasted equally.
Recipe notes:
*The mushrooms and Szechuan leaves were reserved from the consommé and sautéed together prior to plating.
Herb substitutions:
Shiso leaves = part of the mint family, can substitute peppermint, lemon basil or Thai basil
Lemon verbena = lemongrass, lemon mint, lemon basil
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