Suaasat is a traditional Greenlandic recipe for a classic soup or stew of meat, onion, potatoes and carrots in a bay leaf and thyme flavoured broth. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Greenlandic version of: Suaasat.
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This is a classic stew from Greenland, a robust stew made with potatoes, onions, rice or barley, and meat, often seal (for the traditional Sæl Suaasat), though reindeer, musk ox and lamb are also used. The ingredients can be slightly variable, depending on what's available. Typically it's made with potatoes, but this version uses a combination of potatoes and courgettes (zucchini). An interesting feature of this version was the inclusion of hot mustard. This is the national dish of Greenland. The soup is often thickened with rice, or by soaking barley in the water overnight so that the starches leach into the water. It is also a traditional Inuit food. The traditional way of thickening the soup was to soak the pearl barley in water over night to leach out its starch and then to use this water in the preparation of the soup.
Ingredients:
500g seal meat (or lamb, ptarmigan, reindeer, muskox or beef)
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium potato, cubed (use 2 potatoes if omitting the courgette)
1 courgette, sliced into half moons
2 carrots, scraped sliced into rounds
60g pearl barley
1l water
1 tsp mustard (typically hot, but Dijon can be used)
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme (optional)
Method:
If using seal meat, soak it in cold water for an hour to remove excess blood and strong flavours. Cut the meat into large chunks and pat dry with a paper towel.
For the soup base: In a large pot, bring 1l of water to a boil. Add the meat and let it simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes, skimming off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
Stir in the chopped onions, potatoes, courgettes and carrots. Add pearl barley and mix well to combine.
Add salt, black pepper, bay leaf, and thyme for extra depth of flavour. Cover the and let the mixture simmer over low heat for another hour, stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Pour the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh thyme if desired. Serve with dark rye bread for an authentic experience.