Tastihuil
Ingredients
1 kg pawns1 tbsp. cooking oil
1 medium-sized carrot
1 mediun-sized onion
2 laurel leaves
1 clove garlic
3 guajillo chillies
1 bird´s beak chilli
sea salt
pinch of oreganopinch of cumin
1 egg
1/3 diced coriander
300 g boiled corn dough (Corn flour can be used
but it needs to be browned in a dry pan until light brown in colour.)
Method:
Tastihuil is a traditional soup from the Mexcaltitan area. This is my version.
Step 1:
1 kg prawns (with heads): peel half to prepare the meatballs; leave the other half intact. Retain the peeled heads and shells to make the broth - the base for the soup.
Step 2:
Broth. Place the prawn heads and shells to sauté in: 1 tbsp. cooking oil, 1/2 cup diced onion, 1/2 cup diced carrot, 2 laurel leaves, 1 clove garlic. Once sautéed, add enough water to more than cover the mixture; add salt to taste. Now cook the remaining whole prawns in it for 3 minutes. Remove and set aside the broth and the whole prawns.
Step 3:
Milling to flavour the soup. 3 'guajillo' chillies, 1 bird's beak chilli. Steep in the set aside prawn broth, mill, season with salt to taste, a pinch of cumin and dry oregano.
Step 4:
Finely chop the peeled prawns to make the meatballs. Add: 1/3 cup of diced onion, ¼ cup of diced coriander, Salt to taste, 1 whole egg, Make 2 cm diameter balls. Fry in a little oil.
Step: 5 - the final step
Add the chilli paste to the corn dough and prawn broth. Stir continuously. It will start to thicken until it resembles a light 'atole' (cornflour drink). Add the prawn balls and the cooked whole prawns. It may seem complicated but the truth is this is a very simple, easy-to-make soup.
