Lime-scented chicken soup (sopa de lima)

T’zik is a traditional Mayan salad with shredded meat (often venison) and crunchy vegetables tossed in a bitter orange dressing. Served with fresh made corn chips and a lime-scented chicken broth, it makes a wonderfully light and refreshing soup. Using a good-quality chicken stock will make this dish shine.

• serves

  6

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 100 g day-old corn tortillas, cut into strips
• 300 ml vegetable oil
• 1.25 litres homemade chicken stock
• 40 ml lime juice
• 1 avocado, peeled, diced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

T’zik

• 300 g cooked shredded chicken
• 3 radishes, cut into fine julienne
• ¼ small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp chives, chopped
• 1 habanero chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 60 ml bitter orange juice (see Note)
• salt and black pepper 

Instructions

Combine all the t’zik ingredients. Season to taste and toss gently to combine. Set aside for the flavours to meld.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook tortilla strips in batches until crisp and slightly golden. Drain on paper towel and season lightly with salt.

Bring the stock to a boil, add the lime juice and remove from the heat. Season to taste.

Arrange the t’zik in the centre of a soup bowl and ladle the broth around. Garnish with tortilla chips and avocado. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Note

• Bitter orange is also known as sour orange or Seville orange. To substitute, combine 2 parts lime juice and 1 part each orange juice and grapefruit juice.

Photography by Benito Martin. Styling by Kristine Duran-Thiessen. Coloured glassware from Market Import; tiles from Di Lorenzo.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.