Oct 27, 2020

Mamma's Estonian Limby Supp

This limby supp or "milk and dumpling soup" recipe is straight up comfort food at its finest.

This soup recipe might seem a little odd to some, and it's definitely not recommended for anyone who has to remain dairy-free. However, if you are looking for a food-based hug to make you feel better on a cold, rainy day, this soup delivers.

At only 294 calories per serving, you may be tempted to go back for more. However, I recommend you limit servings to a relatively small bowlful. Luckily, that's really all you need to put a smile on your face. This soup is a combination of warm, mildly-sweet milk broth and dough dumplings. Not something to be too heavily indulged in, but it is just so good.

The dumpling batter is very simple to make, and could be made gluten-free by swapping out the all-purpose flour with almost any non-grain flour in equal proportions. Unfortunately, it does require an egg, making this unsuitable for vegans. However, this recipe is suitable for ovo-lacto vegetarians.

Preparation is a bit labour intensive. Anytime you cook with milk you need to be careful it doesn't scorch on the bottom of the pot, or boil over, which it can easily do.

This recipe also takes a little finesse to get things just right. The dumpling batter should be close to the consistency of pancake batter. During the batter preparation steps, as you slowly add flour to the milk mixture, you will need to assess when to stop adding flour, or if you need more than the 2 cups called for in this recipe. If it gets too thick, add a little more milk. If it still seems too thin, slowly add a little more flour.

If you would like me to try to concoct a vegan version of this soup, let me know down in the comments section below. I'm always happy to experiment. Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or in the comments if you make this soup yourself. I'd love to know how it went!

TIP: To form the dumplings, take a spoonful of batter and immerse it quickly into the boiling water (as opposed to dripping or dropping it in) to help it form its shape. Then using a second spoon, scrape the dumpling off into the pot if it needs a little help to release.

TIP: Spread the dumplings out around the pot so they all don't stick together as they cook.

TIP: If you have too much batter for the size of pot you use, reserve it in the fridge and make pancakes the next day!

Ingredients

(Makes 6 servings)

Dumpling Batter:

1 egg, large
3 cups milk, 2% milkfat recommended
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sweetener (sugar or Monkfruit are recommended)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour (or Cassava flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder

Broth:

6 cups water
2 cups milk, 2% milkfat recommended
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sweetener
additional salt and sweetener to taste if needed

Directions

In a small bowl, beat the egg by hand with a fork to break the yolk and lightly aerate. Add the egg, 3 cups milk and vanilla to a mixing bowl and whisk together. Next, whisk in the 1/4 cup sweetener and salt. Continue to whisk until the sweetener begins to dissolve.

Slowly begin to whisk in the flour a bit at a time to create a smooth batter. Then sprinkle in the baking powder and mix thoroughly.

In a large soup pot, over high heat, bring the water, salt and sugar to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high and, using a spoon, add the batter into the water one spoonful at a time.

As the dumplings cook, they will begin floating to the top. If they begin to get in the way as you add additional dumplings, use the spoon to push past the cooking dumplings to release the fresh batter into the pot below them.

Once all the dumplings are in allow them to cook in the boiling water (approximately 15 minutes).

When it looks like all the dumplings are floating, add 2 cups cold milk and allow the soup to being heating again. Do not leave the pot unattended at this stage, as the milk can suddenly boil over. If it begins to quickly rise, remove the pot from the heat until the level lowers. Stir regularly to ensure the milk does not scorch on the bottom. As the broth begins to get hotter and near the boiling point, reduce the heat to medium. Allow the soup to cook on a low, slow simmer for 10 minutes. Add additional salt or sweetener to taste if needed.

Serve and enjoy.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: