During the snowy season, people often seek a bowl of warm soup to combat the bitter cold. Lamb soup, as a nourishing choice in winter, is stewed in a way that seems to contain ancient wisdom and modern simplicity. Following the philosophy of "less is more", we will find that in that warm and steaming bowl, only four simple ingredients are needed to overflow with mellow flavor and delicious aftertaste.
First of all, fresh lamb is the essence of the stew. Choose parts of the meat that are tender but not greasy, and remove excess fascia and foam to ensure that the soup is clear and pure. Wash and cut into chunks so that the soup can better soak each slice of meat.
Next, ginger and green onion are the most common and most common accessories in traditional cooking. Ginger is unpretentious but has outstanding effects, it can relieve oiliness, dispel cold and evil, and refresh the mind. Roast until the skin is slightly charred and the inside is yellowed, so that the treated ginger will have a deeper aroma. Also, knot the green onion or cut it directly into the pot and put it in the pot. When the two are stir-fried together with the meat pieces when the heat is right, they guide the whole cooking process like a musical overture.
Cooking wine is an indispensable magic liquid in the kitchen. It is used to remove odors and add flavor to dishes. When the mutton releases its refreshing aroma, adding cooking wine in an appropriate amount can remove any residual smell, and make the meat more tender and the soup more rich.
As for table salt, it should be the last condiment to appear during the whole stewing process. Putting salt too early will not only affect the lamb itself to absorb water and swell to achieve optimal tenderness, but also may cause the soup to shrink and become salty. Therefore, sprinkle the lamb soup with the right amount of salt when it is almost finished – and the taste is just right.
Let's talk about the stewing process - simmering over low heat is the true meaning. Time is like a meticulous painter, applying a long and deep flavor color to each piece of meat. It takes about 23 hours, and the slow fire gives the mutton enough time to embrace the water vapor affectionately, and in this long wait, the mutton soup is layered and thick and delicious.
Such a simple yet meticulously detailed four-ingredient formula demonstrates ingenuity in the selection of materials and the control of heat. It is this attitude of sticking to the foundation and pursuing the ultimate quality that has created a bowl of mutton soup that is light and flavorful, thick but not greasy, fragrant and delicious, and warm.
Although the abundance of condiments on the market may tempt us to experiment with more complex recipe combinations, in fact, in this seemingly simple but infinite world of possibilities, the aesthetics of "less" can lead us back to the most direct and pure enjoyment of the origin of food.
A delicious bowl of lamb soup in winter is far from accidental - it represents the true respect for ingredients, the persistence of ancient methods, and the pursuit of taste for life. Behind the abandonment of complex concoctions, there is a deep exploration and appreciation of the original flavor that nature imparts to food. The rich and pure taste condensed under this simplicity is just like the philosophy of life: many times, behind the chaos and complexity, simplicity and purity are often the most enduring and precious.
Looking back on the whole article, it is not difficult to find that behind an excellent lamb soup is the ultimate pursuit and the art of balance - the selection of ingredients should be fresh, the heat should be appropriate, the seasoning should be simple, and the time should be patient...... All of these elements work together to make a classic.
To sum up, if you have to enjoy a bowl of mutton soup made by heart and hand without adding superfluous and complex ingredients, but full of fragrance and taste, it is undoubtedly like a beautiful symphony performance with the participation of the soul and five senses: let people feel the primitive beauty of nature, and at the same time experience the wisdom of "less is more" in life.