Kambing soup or sup kambing is a spicy broth of mutton soup, traditionally made with goat meat that is cut into bite-sized chunks and stewed in spices, then served hot with toasted bread on the side. This dish is associated with the Indian Muslim community.1
Description
Kambing is Malay for “goat”. Kambing soup is a rich broth made of mutton brewed for hours and flavoured with spices such as coriander, fennel, cumin, star anise and cinnamon.2 Although mutton is primarily used, chicken and beef may also be added to enrich the broth.3 The meat is taken off the bone and diced into bite-sized pieces. It is then braised in curry powder before it is cooked.4 The greenish-yellow hue of the broth comes from the spices used.5 The soup is served hot and topped with coriander leaves and deep fried sliced shallots, and accompanied by toasted bread on the side.6 In parts of Malaysia, it is served with traditional Indian bread or roti Bengali.7
History
This dish is an innovation associated with the Indian Muslim community in Singapore.8 The dish was traditionally made using goat meat as sheep are not usually tenured in the region. It is only in more recent times that the dish has been made with mutton imported from countries such as Australia and New Zealand.9
In the 1950s and ’60s, footballers at the Farrer Park sports complex often headed to stalls at Northumberland Road after their training sessions for a bowl of mutton soup. It cost only S$1 a bowl at the time.10
Variants
Variants include sup internasional (Malay for “international soup”), which is made of beef and mutton, while sup ayam (Malay for “chicken soup”) is a lighter version made of chicken stock. Sup urat is made of beef tendon, while sup perut uses ox tripe. Other variations are sup lidah (ox tongue), sup ekor (ox tail) and sup torpedo (bull’s penis).11 Another version of sup torpedo is sup torpedo campur grenade or “torpedo soup mixed with grenade”, which is a combination of bull’s penis and goat’s testicles.12
The Indonesian sup kambing is different from the Indian Muslim version found in Singapore as it is believed to have had its origins in the Middle East. Coconut milk gives it a rich, creamy taste while lime juice adds a sour edge. Potatoes as well as krepek or vegetable crackers are also served on the side. A hot chilli sauce made of chilli padi (small, hot chillies), vinegar and light soya sauce spices up the soup.13
Soup tulang or bone soup, traditionally made with mutton or beef bones, is a variation of mutton soup also offered by the Indian Muslim community. The addition of tomatoes and various spices give this dish a completely different look and taste.14
Hainanese mutton soup is not related to the Indian Muslim kambing soup as its origins and ingredients are Chinese.15
Variant names16
Sup kambing, kambing sup, sop kambing
Indian mutton soup, mutton rib soup
Author
Bonny Tan
References
1. Wan, R., & Hiew, R. (2010). There’s no carrot in carrot cake. Singapore: Epigram Books, p. 169. (Call no.: RSING 641.30095957 WAN)
2. Mowe, R. (Ed.). (1999). Southeast Asian specialties: A culinary journey. Culinaria: Konemann, p. 142. (Call no.: RSING 641.5959 SOU); Naleeza, Ebrahim & Yaw, Y. Y. (2006). Not just a good food guide: Singapore. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, p. 145. (Call no.: RSING 647.955957 NAL)
3. Cheong, S. (2006, June 3). Slurp it all up. New Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
4. Wan, R., & Hiew, R. (2010). There’s no carrot in carrot cake. Singapore: Epigram Books, p. 169. (Call no.: RSING 641.30095957 WAN)
5. Naleeza Ebrahim & Yaw, Y. Y. (2006). Not just a good food guide: Singapore. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, p. 145. (Call no.: RSING 647.955957 NAL)
6. Mowe, R. (Ed.). (1999). Southeast Asian specialties: A culinary journey. Culinaria: Konemann, p. 198. (Call no.: RSING 641.5959 SOU)
7. Cheong, S. (2006, June 3) Slurp it all up. New Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
8. Wan, R., & Hiew, R. (2010). There’s no carrot in carrot cake. Singapore: Epigram Books, p. 169. (Call no.: RSING 41.30095957 WAN)
9. MalaysianFood.net. (2003–2013). Sup kambing [mutton soup]. Retrieved 2016, December 13 from MalaysianFood.net website: http://www.malaysianfood.net/recipes/recipesupkambing.htm
10. Luis, E. (2006, October 15). Home advantage. The New Paper, p. 48. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
11. Cheong, S. (2006, June 3). Slurp it all up. New Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
12. Cheong, S. (2007, March 3). Yummy, bully for you! New Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
13. Oon, V. (1980, April 13). Hitting pay dirt at this Indonesian-food snack bar. The Straits Times, p. 13. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Ganie, S. N. (2010, June 13). Just a slice of mutton. The Jakarta Post. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
14. Wan, R., & Hiew, R. (2010). There’s no carrot in carrot cake. Singapore: Epigram Books, p. 171. (Call no.: RSING 41.30095957 WAN); Singh, G. (2003, June 23). Spicy revelations...Today, p. 34. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
15. Huang, L. (2008, December 7). Soup’s on. The Straits Times, p. 74. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
16. Freheit. (2000, November 21). Mutton dressed as lamb, but twice as nice. Today, p. 27. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
The information in this article is valid as at 2010 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
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