OXTAIL SOUP

Some friends kept asking what the secret is to my soup because they said eating my oxtail soup is always special. It had a specific taste, and the aromatic smell stayed with them when they were back home. That was very nice and unforgettable.

The aroma comes from cinnamon sticks. The cinnamon, onion and spring onion ingredients in clear soup create a delicate taste and a very good smell. Make sure the onion is caramelised before you pour the broth in.

Moreover, you have to prepare the oxtail separately, or you can prepare it a few hours or a day before it is served. The soup itself is very simple, and it can be ready in less than 30 minutes.

Here are 2 steps of the recipe,

1. The oxtail

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Oxtail, you can ask your butcher to help you cut it into smaller pieces.
• 3-5 blocks of palm sugar (depending on the size)
• 7 candlenuts
• 9 cloves of shallots or 1 big red onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Boil water in a medium saucepan with oxtail in it.
2. Meanwhile, chop the palm sugar blocks and put them in the saucepan.
3. Put all the herbs in the small blender.
4. Roast the blended herbs in the pan until golden and the smell comes out
5. Add the herbs to the saucepan
6. Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave it until the oxtail is tender and cooked properly.
7. Take the oxtail out and set it aside.

2. The soup

Ingredients:

• 5 big carrots
• 1 can of red beans
• 1 big onion
• 3 spring onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Boil water in a medium saucepan.
2. Chop the onion and garlic. Fry with 1 tsp of corn oil or olive oil and 2 pinches of salt, until golden and then add them to boiling water. 
3. Cut the carrot as you wish for the soup.
4. Cut the spring onion into small pieces.
5. Open the red bean can, wash and drain it for a while.
6. Add the cinnamon sticks, pepper, and salt to the saucepan and taste it. You may reduce or add more salt as you like.
7. Put the carrot and red bean into boiling water.
8. Turn off the stove immediately when the carrot is soft, and add the spring onion in.
9. The soup is ready to serve.

Serving:

Serve the soup with the oxtail and give fried shallots and red chillies as garnish if you like.