Sop Kambing (Lamb Soup)
A warming Indonesian lamb soup with aromatic spices, tender meat, and rich broth. Traditionally served for celebrations and special occasions.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 4 medium shallots, peeled and halved
- 6 cloves garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into 4 pieces
- 1 tbsp fresh turmeric root or ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp whole cumin seeds
- 1 piece cinnamon stick (2-inch piece)
- 3 leaves bay leaves
- 3 nuts candlenuts (kemiri) or macadamia nuts, lightly crushed
- 8 cups water
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ lime lime, halved
Instructions
- 1
Place the lamb cubes in a large pot, cover completely with cold water, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, about 5–8 minutes, until foam rises to the surface.
- 2
Pour out the water carefully, rinse the lamb pieces under cold running water, and scrub the pot clean — this removes impurities and makes the broth clearer and cleaner-tasting.
- 3
Return the rinsed lamb to the clean pot and pour in 8 cups of fresh cold water.
- 4
Place the garlic cloves, ginger slices, and shallot halves in a blender with no water, then blend on high speed for 20–30 seconds until the mixture becomes a coarse, wet paste with visible texture.
- 5
Toast the cumin seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring often, until they smell strongly fragrant and darken slightly — do not let them burn.
- 6
Bring the pot of lamb and water to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes, watching for large, rolling bubbles breaking the surface.
- 7
Reduce heat to medium-low so the broth simmers gently with only small bubbles breaking the surface every 2–3 seconds.
- 8
Add the garlic-ginger-shallot paste to the simmering broth and stir for 30 seconds with a wooden spoon to combine evenly.
- 9
Stir in the turmeric powder, toasted cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, crushed candlenuts, and bay leaves — the broth will turn golden and smell warmly spiced.
- 10
Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring once every 10 minutes, until the lamb is very tender when pierced with a fork and falls apart easily.
- 11
Taste the soup and stir in 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and juice from half a lime — it should taste savory, slightly salty, and bright with a hint of citrus.
- 12
Simmer for 2 more minutes, stirring gently, to let the flavors combine, then taste again and adjust with more fish sauce or lime if needed.
- 13
Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of tender lamb pieces and fragrant broth.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot (6-quart capacity)
- blender
- small dry skillet
- wooden spoon
- knife and cutting board
- ladle
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