Let me share the Sup Kambing recipe, the classic Malaysian soup, in this article.

Sup kambing is one of the delicious soups I always order in the local Malaysian Indian restaurant. It tastes completely different from most Western and Chinese soups due to the liberal use of spices.

Don’t freak out when you see a long list of ingredients. Although it is crucial to have all the ingredients, the cooking process is relatively forgiving and easy to follow.

Here is the step-by-step instruction for the sup kambing recipe.

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1. Preparation for making Malaysian mutton soup

I have divided the Sup Kambing recipe into two sections- preparation and simmering of the soup.

A. Use the bone-in mutton

It is best to choose bone-in mutton as the bone marrow will release the flavor to the soup. Mutton legs and mutton shoulders are my choices.

It is rather difficult to cut through the bones with your knife. So, please ask your butcher to cut the bones into cubes to the size you want. I prefer the mutton pieces to be about 1 to 1 1/2 inches.

Wash the mutton cubes under running water to remove any debris and blood. This step can significantly reduce the scum floating on the surface while boiling the soup.

B. Dry roast the whole spices

Sup Kambing requires a few whole spices. These spices are cinnamon bark, star anise, green cardamom, and cloves. You may also include cumin and fennel seeds, which are optional.

1. Place the whole spices in a pan and dry roast them over low heat until aromatic.
2. Transfer the roasted spices to a cloth bag to make a bouquet garni. We will use these spices to boil the soup at a later stage.

C. Get ready the vegetables and aromatics

1. First, cut the garlic, ginger, and onion into small pieces. Then, saute these aromatics with oil to bring out the flavor. 
2. Next, blend these ingredients with water in a blender to become a paste. We will add the paste into the pot of mutton in the later stage.
3. Cut the carrot into wedges, the celery into an inch length, and the tomato into thick pieces.
4. Get a few stalks of coriander and cut the stalks into short sections. Reserve the leaves for garnishing the soup right before serving.

2. Steps to make sup tulang

A. Start boiling the soup

1. Place the mutton into a large stock pot.
2. Add a few cups of water until it is sufficient to submerge the mutton.
3. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
4. Add the garlic, ginger, and onion paste.
5. Next, reduce to low heat to simmer the mutton for one hour.
6. While boiling the soup, remove the scum floating on top with a fine strainer from time to time. This step helps to produce a clean soup.

B. Add the spices and other ingredients

1. The mutton will start to become tender after simmering for an hour.
2. Now add the ground spices indicated as ingredient C in the sup kambing recipe. (Cumin, coriander, turmeric, korma, white pepper, garam masala powder, salt, and bay leaves)
3. Place the bouquet garni (the whole spices) into the broth. Removing the whole spices after cooking is easier if you put them into a cloth bag.
4. Continue simmering the soup over low flame for 30 minutes.
5. Add the carrots, celery, and tomato and continue simmering for another 30 minutes. If you prefer a thicker soup, you can extend the cooking time until they disintegrate.

C. Enrich the soup with a few more ingredients before serving

1. Add the coriander stem to the soup. Keep the leaves and use them as a garnish to serve.
2. Add a tablespoon of fried shallots.
3. Finally, squeeze a tablespoon of lime juice into the soup after removing it from the heat.
4. Garnish with more coriander and fried shallot to serve.

Note:

• You can use the ginger-garlic paste as a substitute for fresh garlic and ginger.
• Store-bought fried shallot is available in Asian supermarkets. You can refer to this recipe if you want to make it yourself.
• Please substitute the korma powder with an equal portion of cumin and coriander powder if unavailable.
• You need to simmer to bones for a long time to extract the flavor from the bone marrow.
• The water should be enough to cover all the mutton pieces to extract the bone’s flavor effectively.
• Slow Cooking and the right amount of spices are the two most important tips to make the best sup kambing.

3. Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use a pressure cooker to prepare the soup?

You can use a pressure cooker or instant pot to prepare this soup. You should pressure cook it for ten whistles on medium flame.

2. Is this soup prepared with mutton or goat meat?

The phrases mutton and goat meat are used interchangeably in Malaysia to describe mutton. It is mutton soup!

4. Other related Asian soup recipes

• There’s a nostalgic feeling attached to chicken and corn soup because this is the soup that my mom prepared when I was a kid. Try my family recipe, please!
• if you want the best fried chicken from Malaysia,  Ayam Goreng is definitely on top of my list.
• ABC soup is another bone-based soup that you will love. It is non-spicy as opposed to Sup Kambing, a popular soup almost certain any Cantonese family will cook.